of the Environment. It offers postgraduate courses in renewable energy, architecture and environmental studies. Since 2008, the centre has run a Professional Diploma in Architecture course in Advanced Environmental and Energy Studies, which allows students to obtain an accredited Part II architectural qualification. Wales Institute for Sustainable Education In summer 2010, CAT inaugurated the Wales Institute for Sustainable Education (WISE), a large educational building designed as a case study of sustainable architecture. The building contains a lecture theatre and accommodation and demonstrates ecological building principles such as passive solar building design and heat recovery ventilation as well as low-impact building materials such as wood, hemp, lime and rammed earth. The external walls of the building are made from 500mm thick hempcrete, whereas the lecture theatre has 7.2m high walls made from 320t of rammed earth. A building management system is used to monitor a wide variety of parameters inside the building, providing data for research projects by CAT's sustainable architecture students. The building is used for teaching postgraduate degrees and short courses and is also available as a conference venue and exhibition space. In 2010 the WISE building was awarded the first place in The Daily Telegraph'''s list of Top 10 Buildings 2010 and came fourth in The Guardian Top 10'' list of buildings for 2010. It received a Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) Award in 2011. Energy CAT originally relied on a collection of water, wind and solar power, but following power shortages it began to receive power from the National Grid. Shortly afterwards, in 2004, a large new wind turbine was built using funds generated by selling shares in the project to the community, Bro Dyfi Community renewables. From 2009 September onwards CAT has operated a microgrid system, which includes elements of on- and off-grid operation. CAT gets its water from an existing man-made reservoir in the slate quarry in which it is based and processes its own sewage in its reedbeds. Regional impact The presence of the Centre in the Dyfi Valley has brought an increased environmental emphasis to the area, which is now designated as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. In the nearest town, Machynlleth, CAT plc formerly operated a wholefood vegetarian café and a separate shop. Following the closure of CAT plc the CAT charity retained ownership of the vegetarian cafe but subsequently sold it to its workers. The cafe is now run as a