The university's Institute of Energy and Sustainable Development has been nominated for the Building Services Environmental Initiative Award.

The department was recognised for its work on University College in London.

It created an atrium in the centre of the building to create natural ventilation as an alternative to an air-conditioning system.

The air flows from the top of the atrium to the bottom and ventilates the building's library and offices.

It is now estimated to use half the amount of energy of a typical open-plan building.

Professor Kevin Lomas from the department, said: "Climate change is a major problem.

"We need to keep buildings cool without making matters worse by using energy hungry air conditioning.

"This building demonstrates a radical and adventurous way of doing this."