Photo © Paul Raftery

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The building's roof mimics the structure of a plant's leaf - rainwater flows from roof canals into a corrugated steel tank that collects it to be reused for flushing the toilets.

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Officially opened by Her Majesty The Queen in April 2010, the John Hope Gateway just won the 2011 RICS Annual Sustainability Award thanks to its use of low-energy, waste-reducing sustainable systems. The building’s high-tech design incorporates passive building strategies as well as energy-generating renewable systems such as a biomass boiler, solar thermal and photovoltaic panels, and a wind turbine. The building’s name honors the Scottish surgeon and leading botanist who was responsible for unifying parts of the gardens.