Viking Day Unit, Margate

This £1.1m scheme is the product of 11 years of fundraising on the part of staff and is - by exceeding NHS Best practice guidelines - a showcase for sustainable design in the field of healthcare.

With a plan arrangement that maximises the number of rooms with natural light and ventilation, the Viking Day Unit keeps energy consumption at a reduced level. The building also uses large internal areas of exposed dense materials, which retain heat for longer in winter and - when coordinated with passive night-time ventilation, remain cooler in the summer. Other features include low energy lighting, a landscaped green roof, and untreated larch timber with zinc as external building materials.