Sustainable choices have been made in many instances, from the sourcing of wood certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) – an international, non-governmental organisation dedicated to promoting responsible management of the world's forests – used on the track and external cladding to the installation of a 100 per cent naturally ventilated system that eliminates the need for air conditioning.

The venue's designers worked closely with a design panel, including six-time Olympic gold medallist Sir Chris, to tailor the track geometry, temperature and environmental conditions with the aim of creating a record-breaking track. The aim succeeded.

The clue to the whole operation has been given by the Velodrome's designers, Hopkins Architects.

"The bike is an ingenious ergonomic object, honed to unrivalled efficiency," said a release issued by the company on the subject of the building, which in April of this year, just a month after it had been completed inside its target time of two years, won the Architecture Award at an annual awards ceremony hosted by the Design Museum.

"We wanted the same application of design creativity and engineering rigour that goes into the design and manufacture of the bike to manifest itself in the building – not as a mimicry of the bicycle but as a three-dimensional response to the functional requirements of the venue, whose distinctive form has emerged from an integrated design team approach which focused on the performance and efficiency of every aspect of the building."

Sir Chris Hoy, left, leads the field in the London 2012 men's keirin track cycling at the Velodrome

The double-curved roof echoes the dips of the racetrack beneath, with the end result being a shape which has led to the Velodrome's nickname of Pringle – due to its resemblance to the shape of crisps that the company manufactures. (In this regard, the Velodrome could be regarded as the most audacious, large-scale piece of Olympic ambush marketing ever conceived.)

The Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) set a number of sustainability and material targets that the design has met or exceeded.

Work on the competition scheme began in May 2007 with the results announced in August that year. Work started on site on February 23, 2009, and was completed ahead of programme and on budget on January 13, 2011. The building was a collaboration involving Expedition Engineering, BDSP and Grant Associates.

In a poll run by the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) as part of the Stirling Prize, the Velodrome won 62.9 per cent of the public vote.

The structure was designed with simple, affordable materials in mind, and the building has met or exceeded the ODA's sustainability targets. Only 100 tons of steel were used, a tiny sum compared to the 3,000 employed in the Olympic Aquatics Centre that is roughly the same size.

An aerial view of the Velodrome, showing work on covering its distinctive double-curved roof during construction

Klaus Bode, one of the building's environmental engineers, has said that the Velodrome serves as the Olympic Park's most sustainable project because of its "integrated holistic design". The designers sought to optimise the venue's performance by exploiting new technology and software throughout the design process.

The Velodrome has seats for 6,000 spectators – that will remain the same once the Olympics and Paralympics are over – and the upper and lower seating tiers are split by the main public circulation concourse which forms the chief point of entry into the arena and allows spectators to maintain contact with the action on the track as they move around the building.

The concourse is fully glazed to allow 360-degree views both into and out of the building. It also helps to visually separate the Western Red Cedar-clad upper bowl from the ground floor back-of-house accommodation.

The emphasis throughout has been on lightweight materials and making the most of natural resources to create a balance of clean lines and sustainable building strategies. Wherever possible, the materials used in the venue's construction were sustainably sourced, including the 5,000 square metres of Western Red Cedar used to clad its exterior. Both this and the Siberian Pine for the Velodrome's track were certified by the FSC.

The exterior of the Velodrome is cladded in 5,000 square metres of sustainably sourced Western Red Cedar

The first of the five permanent sporting sites to be completed in the Olympic Park employs the use of daylight, natural cooling and water harvesting – all key features of green, energy-saving design.

The white roof has rows of skylights crossing the complex, providing daylight and allowing overhead lights to be turned off during the day. The roof is made from a net of cables – the building as a whole contains 10 miles of them – supported by a surrounding steel superstructure all of which has the effect of deflecting the sun's rays, and thus reducing the needs for cooling systems.

The choice of a cable-net roof design – which is "strung" with steel cables in the manner of a tennis racket – reduced the amount of material required and decreased construction time by 20 weeks.

The cedar-clad "skin" of the Velodrome is perforated to allow for a convective cooling of the interior – thus air flows across the 6,000 seats and through the top of the building before being replaced by cool, fresh air from below. The Velodrome is 100 per cent naturally ventilated – no air conditioning is required.

The roof has been specially designed so that it can collect rainwater, which is stored for later use within the facility; this operation reduces mains water usage by more than 70 per cent.

The Siberian Pine used to create the Velodrome's state-of-the-art track was FSC certified 

Even the track itself has been designed to distribute noise evenly in order to prevent competing cyclists from being distracted by sudden bursts of sound – although judging by the comments of some riders following monumental Olympic nights in the Velodrome this aspiration has proved a little too ambitious given the volume generated by the crowds.

So the overall design of the venue makes optimal use of natural light, reducing the need for electric lighting and cutting energy consumption. The low roof also reduces the amount of heating needed while creating a great atmosphere for spectators.

Principle architect Jonathan Watts, who works for Hopkins Architects, worked on the upper bowl and roof of the arena in collaboration with principle engineer George Oates. He commented: "George and I had an excellent working relationship designing the roof, which really allowed us to be more efficient and innovative."

After the London 2012 Games, the Velodrome will be handed over to the Lee Valley Regional Park Authority and form the heart of a new VeloPark for use by the local community, clubs and elite athletes.

The VeloPark will also include the reconfigured Olympic BMX track, a new mountain bike layout and a new road cycle circuit as well as cycle hire and cycle workshop facilities and a cafe.

Mike Rowbottom, one of Britain's most talented sportswriters, has covered five Summer and four Winter Olympics for The Independent. Previously he has worked for the Daily Mail, The Times, The Observer, the Sunday Correspondent and The Guardian. He is now chief feature writer for insidethegames.