The new eco-building boasts the highest standard of facilities, with specially designed workshops, teaching laboratories and office areas.

The Engineering Building was praised for creating a ‘vibrant educational experience’, which ‘accommodates the diverse functions of an engineering department around a central atrium.’

The building will now be considered for the prestigious RIBA Stirling Prize, presented in October 2015.

The RIBA National Awards recognise architectural excellence, with the winning buildings setting the benchmark for good architecture.

Since the building officially opened on 4 March, it has won a RIBA Regional Award, a RIBA ‘Sustainability Award’, and has been shortlisted for the ‘Project of the Year’ prize in the British Construction Industry awards.

The building is part of a £450 million spend on the University’s campus over the last decade, with a further £135m planned over the next three years.

As part of the University’s sustainability and carbon reduction targets, the new building has been designed to achieve BREEAM ‘outstanding’ rating to exceed current regulations and industry benchmarks.

The building was designed by internationally-renowned architects John McAslan + Partners, and the Lancashire-based company Eric Wright Construction Ltd. were the building contractors.