The new Cardiff Central Library, a development by St David's Partnership and contractor Laing O'Rourke Wales & West, has achieved a post-construction BREEAM Excellent rating and is set to become one of the most iconic sustainable buildings in the city.Located to the south end of Hayes Place, Cardiff on a site that was a former car park for the Marriott Hotel, the development scored particularly well in the Land Use and Ecology sections of BREEAM. The original site had a low ecological value and measures were put in place to positively enhance ecology, including the provision of a green roof which contains a variety of plant species and helps reduce the risk of local flooding and pollution.

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Rob Boddy, Chief Librarian at Cardiff City Council said: "It is an extraordinary building with so much to offer the people of Cardiff and South Wales. Its BREEAM Excellent rating means that it is a landmark building for the capital city. Its unique sustainable features make it not only a functional building but one that will attract the attention of keen environmentalists."

The building also scored well in the Water section of BREEAM by installing water saving devices such as dual flush WCs and a leak detection system capable of identifying major leaks both inside and outside the building.

Other environmental measures that contributed to the 'Excellent' rating include good public transport links and the use of insulation materials which have zero ozone-depleting potential.

(CD/JM)