The builder was confirmed today as the winner of the £30m University of Leicester medical school after being tipped by the Enquirer last month.
The project ranks as the biggest non-residential build to Passivhaus standard in the UK and is set to showcase Willmott Dixon’s green building credentials.
Designed by Associated Architects, the job is part of the University of Leicester’s self imposed target to reduce its estate’s CO2 emissions by 60% by 2020.
Its design incorporate numerous environmentally friendly features including natural light and ventilation, external solar shades, photovoltaic solar panels, a combined heat and power system and a free-cooling labyrinth which uses only a fraction of the energy of conventional air-conditioning.
Leicester University is funding the building project from a variety of sources including use of loans, reserves and support from the NHS.
The proposed building will house the College of Medicine, Biological Sciences and Psychology departments providing 130,000 sq ft of teaching rooms, academic offices, dry lab research facilities, capable of accommodating more than 2,350 staff and students.