Written question asked by Peter Ainsworth (Conservative) on Thursday, 19 June 2008, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 23 June 2008. It was answered by David Lammy (Labour) on Monday, 30 June 2008 on behalf of the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills.

Departmental Buildings

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills how many (a) new builds and (b) major refurbishments were completed by his Department for a cost in excess of £0.5 million in (i) 2005-06, (ii) 2006-07 and (iii) 2007-08 to which the Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method or equivalent was applied; how many such buildings were assessed as (A) pass, (B) good, (C) very good and (D) excellent; and if he will make a statement.

Answer: Since its creation in June 2007, DIUS had one refurbishment only—of Kingsgate House in London—carried out in its behalf (by the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform which supplies us with estates services). A Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment was not carried out because the project principally comprised a strip out of existing floors and creation of newly-configured office space and did not involve stripping the building back to its core, nor overhauling the main building plant. The work did, however, include environmentally-friendly changes like the installation of motion-sensitive lighting.

Secondary information