The ability of Gloucestershire Constabulary’s headquarters building to save money through its advanced energy saving design has been recognised at a prestigious awards ceremony.

At the recent ACE Engineering Excellence Awards 2008, leading inter-disciplinary property and construction consultancy McBains Cooper, the company responsible for the pioneering geothermal heating and cooling system used at Waterwells, won the Low Carbon Technology Award for their work on the building.

McBains Cooper was also highly commended in the Awards’ Sustainability category for the same project.

Both categories acknowledge outstanding achievement in the application of environmentally sustainable initiatives.

The system at Waterwells is the UK’s, and possibly Europe’s, largest operational geothermal heating and cooling system.

Featuring 150 boreholes drilled to a depth of 98m, it is making energy savings of up to 30%.

The design not only reduces the carbon footprint of the building by 180 tonnes per year, it allows the Constabulary to spend less on energy costs and more on key policing areas.

Gloucestershire’s Chief Constable Dr Timothy Brain said: “We are delighted that our building has been recognised to receive this prestigious award.

“The environmental benefits of this building were a key feature in choosing the design. The Constabulary takes its responsibilities in maintaining a sustainable environment very seriously and we are determined to continue to do so for the future."

Anthony Coumidis, Director of Engineering & Head of Environmental Strategy at McBains Cooper, said: “McBains Cooper is delighted to have won two awards at ACE Engineering Excellence Awards for the overall environmental solution at Waterwells.

“The geo-thermal technology used by the building to provide its heating and cooling has allowed the energy to be reduced by 30% as compared to a conventional system.

“The solution has created a blue print for the future, and large geothermal systems in commercial developments have now been developed around the country as a result

“It will create real and lasting change and should make a huge difference to occupiers, developers and the environment alike.”

Geothermal energy systems are one of the most efficient heating and cooling solutions available today, and though they can be used in all commercial, retail or mixed use housing developments they are still not widely used in the UK.

The award-winning headquarters building will be used as a case study in the forthcoming Building Services Conference taking place at Sadler’s Wells on November 26-27 2008.