Sustainability is key to the design of the building, which showcases exemplary low-carbon construction and technologies. Passive solar principles include 400mm thick sheep's wool insulation, glazing orientated to the South, West and East to gain maximum benefit from the sun and a double-height atrium to generate stack-effect ventilation through the building.

Large overhangs provide solar shading in summer, stone-flagged floors provide thermal mass to prevent undesirable heat swings, and a planted roof preserves habitat for local fauna.

Active eco-systems include a 23m tall wind turbine, an 8-core ground-source heat pump, evacuated-tube solar panels, a rainwater harvesting tank and a reedbed drainage system.

The project features locally sourced materials including larch cladding from trees felled in the Beecraigs forest and sawn in the Beecraigs sawmill, and drystane walling using stone from the Beecraigs quarry.