Pictured above: (l-r) Dale Whiston (Central Bedfordshire Council) Richard Griffin (LowC Communities Ltd) Andrew West (LowC Communities Ltd), Ian Kite (BEST Ltd), Heather Hudson (BEST Nursery) David Hanson (Hanson Leddington Partnership Limited), Carol Turner (BEST Nursery), Steve Pass and Sam West (LowC Communities Ltd)

LowC Communities Ltd, the Lincolnshire-based, low-carbon energy specialist, is celebrating after its 'BEST House' project in Shefford, Bedfordshire, won the coveted 'Best Commercial Building'  category in the LABC Central Building Excellence Awards 2011.

The award was presented to the project's team by Alison Pipes, chair of LABC Central - a regional branch of the member organisation representing local authority building control departments in England and Wales.

BEST House is a brand new, innovative building that generates the vast majority of its own electricity, heating and hot water from locally-grown rapeseed oil - resulting in incredibly-low running costs and carbon emissions. Designed and constructed by LowC, the building was commissioned by Bedfordshire East Schools Trust (BEST) at its site in Shefford,  to  bring together an existing 20-year-old nursery and provide office and conference facilities for a number of local community organisations.

LowC fought off strong competition from throughout the region to scoop the award. Speaking at the event, which was held at Milton Keynes Council's Civic Offices, LowC's founder and chief executive, Richard Griffin, commented: "We are absolutely thrilled to have won this award. The BEST House project has grabbed a lot of attention due to its exemplar energy performance. Earlier this year, we called in ZED, an independent energy auditor, and they gave the building an energy performance certificate rating of A - with a score of 8 - which almost makes it carbon neutral."

"There's an increasing pressure on our industry to develop buildings that not only have low-carbon emissions, but are also affordable. I'm pleased to say that the BEST House project delivered on both fronts."

BEST currently looks after the educational needs for some 6,500 pupils in 25 schools dotted around its mainly rural catchment area. Ian Kite, chief executive of BEST Ltd, said: "This award recognises the fantastic job that the team has delivered for our Trust. We are delighted with the new building and it's going to help us deliver our aims of promoting the advancement of education and community cohesion."

"The fact that construction started in May 2010, the nursery has moved in during January 2011 and the project is on time, within budget and has overachieved its design commitments - is truly remarkable."

"I couldn't praise the team highly enough as the process has been completely painless compared with the traditional construction routes previously adopted. So much so that Central Bedfordshire's building surveyor, Dale Whiston, nominated the building for these awards - which speaks volumes."

As a regional winner, BEST House and LowC Communities have also been nominated for the finals of the national LABC Building Excellence Awards, which will take place in London on the 1st of November 2011.

BEST House is just one of an increasing number of projects that LowC Communities has recently delivered - utilising innovative renewable energy generation.