World’s greenest building opens today

The Queen has today officially opened what has been named the world's most environmentally friendly building - the Co-operative Group's new £105m Manchester headquarters.The British Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method (BREEAM) has given the building a score of 95.16% – the highest ever awarded.

So what makes this building so green?

- A double layered façade that acts like a duvet keeping the building warm in winter and cool in summer

- It is powered by a cogeneration plant run on rape seed oil

- It features a rain water harvesting system

- Grey water is also recycled

- The lifts are highly efficient

- The atrium is south facing to absorb as much heat as possible

- The Co op also aims to make this a paperless office, and is encourage employees to walk, cycle or use public transport to get to work

I have used this example as inspiration to encourage some of my pupils to come up with a plan to make the school a greener building.