20 facts you didn't know about the Design Studio

1. The building was built by Austrian company Holzbau Saurer, incorporating the best of Austrian woodworking knowledge and experience

2. The main structure which comprises almost 500m3 of laminated spruce and 30m3 of oak is all farmed from a managed sustainable forest in Austria

3. The spruce used is replenished in only nine minutes

4. Window frames, door and external cladding is all seasoned Oak from forests in Switzerland

5. The building is insulated to a very high level beyond UK building requirements and uses only natural hemp material for wall insulation

6. In Spring 2008 a sedum roof will be planted. This is a plant which grows slowly and needs only periodic cutting. This helps with drainage and insulation thus reducing energy requirements

7. The space includes an external design garden with natural stone walling to enable designs to be viewed securely in natural light settings

8. The cooling system uses a gravity system built into the wall cavities

9. All floors have underfloor heating for the most efficient provision of uniform heat throughout the space

10. The building cooling and heating is achieved by using a vertical closed loop ground water system and heatpump with thirty 100m deep bore holes