Norfolk unveils ‘green’ station

An eco-friendly police station fitted with a wind turbine and a solar ventilator has opened in Aylsham, Norfolk.

Environmentally conscious in design, the station has a sedum moss roof to insulate the building in the winter and uses sensors to switch off lights when they are not in use.

The base to the station’s car park was made with 150 tonnes of crushed recycled glass, instead of sand.

The £755,000 ‘green’ station, an operational deployment base for local officers, took eight months to build.

Its solar ventilator acts as a natural air conditioning unit and it has a solar heating system that provides free hot water for 70 per cent of the year.

The wind turbine, partly funded by a government grant, generates electricity and sun-pipes allow natural light to most areas of the building, reducing utility costs.

Stephen Bett, chairman of Norfolk Police Authority, said: “In this instance, we have something that is fit for purpose and cutting edge in terms of its green credentials.”

Chief Constable Ian McPherson said the force has constructed an “up-to-date and dynamic working environment for operational policing as well as creating a minimal carbon footprint”.

The new building was designed by architect Mark Camidge and has been nominated in the British Construction Industry Awards 2008.