SCOTTISH Water's new £15million office at Steppes, near Glasgow, has been hailed a model of eco-engineering.

The building was completed by BAM Construction.

It's located next door to BAM's own Scottish headquarters at Buchanan Gate Business Park.

The contract for the four-storey, 7300 sq m building was awarded to BAM following a design competition.

The new flagship building features a large central atrium to maximise natural ventilation and light across the open plan office spaces.

The building features a range of green technologies.

These include using the thermal mass of the building's concrete frame to help heat and cool the office, a biomass boiler, thermal water heating, solar panels, sustainable drainage systems, rainwater harvesting and an intelligent management system to maximise the building's performance.

Doug Keillor, Regional Director, BAM Construction Scotland said: "The centre is one of the most environmentally friendly buildings of its kind, not just in Scotland but in Europe.

"Its low carbon, energy efficiency features will provide great savings and benefits for Scottish Water."

Lorna McGregor, Scottish Water's head of workplace and property management said: "We are delighted that BAM has completed the construction of our new building, which will serve us well for many years to come and enable us to continue to provide a first-class service to our customers."

BAM Construction specialises in creating sustainable developments, including schools, health centres, shop and office accommodation.

It is currently building a new, £70m, Grade-A office and shops development at 110 Queen Street in Glasgow, one of the first speculative buildings to be developed in Scotland since the recession.

Scottish Water recently unveiled plans to build a three-mile long sewage tunnel in the south of Glasgow.

The project is part of the biggest upgrade of the city's water network since Victorian times.

The £100m Scottish Water project will create the largest storm water storage tunnel in Scotland.

It will run between Queen's Park and Craigton Industrial Estate.

The massive construction will be big enough in diameter to fit a double-decker bus inside.

It will also be more than five times as long as the Clyde Tunnel.

ewan.fergus@ eveningtimes.co.uk