The School for Informatics at the University of Edinburgh has been named Scottish Building Project of the Year 2009 by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors in Scotland (RICS Scotland).

Once a piece of derelict land used as a car park, the site now forms part of the University's George Square campus, housing the Schools of Informatics and Philosophy, Psychology and Language Science.

The building includes careful regulation of glazed areas to reduce solar gain, openable windows to supplement ventilation, exposed thermal mass to moderate temperature and the use of a combined heat and power system to cut carbon emissions.

The building was designed by architects Bennetts Associates and the project was managed by Turner Townsend Chartered Surveyors.

Last month, the building scooped the sustainability gong in the RICS Scotland awards and was battling it out against four other gong winners for the title of RICS Scottish Project of the Year 2009. The other projects were Castlemilk Stables (community benefit winner), Stanley Mills (building conservation winner) and Lochgelly Miners' Institute (regeneration winner).


The annual awards celebrate the best new buildings, re-developments or conservation projects in Scotland.

John Duff, Chairman of RICS Scotland who presented the award said: "This building project takes sustainability to another level. It shows commitment to the efficient use of resources and provides an environmentally-friendly space that meets the needs of its users. It thoroughly deserves to be named Scotland’s building project of the year. Congratulations to everyone involved."

Other building projects were highly commended and commended in the RICS Scotland Awards 2009. These were: "Carrochan" - Loch Lomond & Trossachs National Park HQ, Highly Commended in the Sustainability category; Stanley Mills, winner of the Building Conservation Award; Lochgelly Miners Institute, Winner of the Regeneration Award; The Steeple, Newburgh, Commended in the Regeneration category; Castlemilk Stables, Winner of the Community Benefit Award and Highly Commended in the Building Conservation category; Garrison House, Millport, Highly Commended in the Regeneration category; Blackburn House, Commended in the Building Conservation category and King's College Crown Tower, Commended in the Building Conservation category.

(GK/JM)