AHEC supports Architect of the Year Awards

The American Hardwood Export Council (AHEC) presented an Environmental Excellence award to Sheppard Robson at the annual Architect of the Year Awards (AYA) in London on November 15.

The Awards, which are run by Building Design magazine, enable smaller practices to take on architectural giants as they recognise the best overall body of work across 15 different sectors.

The Environmental Excellence category, which was introduced to the AYA this year, recognised the practice that showed the clearest commitment to meeting the challenge of climate changea and raising the understanding of sustainability.

“Supporting the AYAs Environmental Excellence Award is an extension of all the activity we do and have done with architects over many years,” said AHEC’s European director David Venables, who made the presentation.

“This award has a holistic approach and is not wood specific, but wood can play a significant part now and in the future. Building ‘green’ isn’t a fad or a phase; it’s a necessity which is here to stay and we are making sure that we are part of the process.”

The Sports Architect of the Year Award winner was Hopkins Architects, which was responsible for the Olympics Velodrome, while the overall Gold Award went to Stanton Williams for its work in the education construction sector.