Edmond Shipway appointed as project manager and CDM coordinator for Sustainable Building Centre

The 6,800 sq ft building will be the first of its kind in the UK, and is intended as a showcase for anyone involved in the construction industry, from architects and developers through to builders, to view the latest thinking in sustainable building.

It will allow them to experience the latest technologies and the widest range of sustainable, energy-efficient and recycled building products. On show will be all the latest sustainable products available nationwide from Wolseley UK, the country's leading distributor of construction materials.

Construction of the new centre on Wolseley UK's 18 acre site at Spa Park in Leamington Spa has already begun and completion is scheduled for mid-2008.

SBC general manager Tim Pollard said: "All aspects of sustainable construction will be addressed, from groundworks and drainage through to roofing and all points in between.

"The SBC will itself generate its own energy from sources such as solar panels, photovoltaics and renewable technologies, and one of the building's key features is a Measurable Energy Management System; which switches between these installed technologies.

"Visitors to the SBC will be able to experience the building itself and see how it works, view the latest technologies and products and then find out how best to install and use them."

Edmond Shipway partner Gary Carey said: "Our appointment has come about due to our considerable experience on schemes requiring sustainable solutions.

"We have taken the strategic decision to employ in-house sustainability consultants who, combined with our cost and project managers, mean we can provide environmental solutions and add real value in our service delivery."

Key members of the team behind this innovative project are Midlands-based, with Edmond Shipway as project manager and CDM coordinator and Warwick-based SOL Construction as the main contractor.

Other partners in the project include ECD Architects Ltd, structural engineer Techniker Ltd, services engineer Fulcrum Consulting, landscape architect Roger Griffiths Associates Ltd and quantity surveyor Dobson White Boulcott Ltd.