London's 'greenest' sports centre opens today with a grass roof, wind-catchers instead of air conditioning and recycled flooring.

The £4.5 million building in Little Venice is covered in sedum grass to absorb CO2 and give insulation.

Wind-catchers on the roof will move air in from the top of the building so that a conventional extractor system is not needed. “Sun pipes” will carry light to the heart of the curved structure, so it needs less artificial lighting.

Six large solar panels on the roof will save the equivalent of 3.8 tonnes of CO2 per year, and the timber-clad building is made from sustainably sourced wood. The sports hall, meanwhile, has a recycled rubber floor.

The living roof will help absorb rainwater and cut back on the need to heat the building in winter or cool it in summer. It is also a valuable habitat for birds and insects. The wind-catcher is a centuries-old idea from Persia.

The centre was designed by environmental team LCE Architects. It doubles as a sports and community centre and has badminton courts, a sports hall, dance studio and gym. There is also an IT training suite with cameras to monitor athletes' agility and durability.

The project was partly funded by Westminster council and £1.6 million from Sport England.

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