Queens Building, De Montfort University, Leicester, uses 2/3 of the energy of a typical well designed naturally ventilated building and 1/2 of the energy of a typical well designed air conditioned building.

Designed by Alan Short and Brian Ford (Short Ford Associates) it provides teaching, laboratory and research facilities while also acting as an object for study. The building services are deliberately exposed and make maximum use of daylighting which greatly reduces running costs.

Photograph: Peter Cook