Millennium Park Environment Centre which will be open to the public shortly. Construction of the building began in August, 1999. It contains a restaurant, a large exhibition hall, a classroom and a residential flat. The low energy design sets out to squeeze as many sustainable features as possible into the building, which covers 750 square metres.
Insulation is made from recycled newsprint and is much thicker than normal in an UK building.
Heat loss through windows is kept to a minimum by triple glazing with a low emission coating. Other sustainable technologies used include the United Kingdom's first ventilated photovoltaic array, a solar air heating system, a boiler fired by waste wood and water and sewage treatment. A wind turbine will power the low-energy appliances and lights. To maximise heat and light from the sun, the building faces south and sunlight enters through high level windows that exploit the winter sun and allow daylight to penetrate deep into the centre's interior to illuminate the exhibition space at the rear of the building. Windows ensure that the classroom, restaurant and entrance lobby also receive sunlight which warms the masonry walls and floor.