To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport pursuant to the answer of 16 April 2007, Official Report, column 17W, on energy conservation, if she will list the energy-producing features contained in the Government’s Better Public Building initiative. (133578)

The Better Public Building initiative aims to encourage high-quality design in all new public building. It does not itself set standards or recommend specific design solutions relating to energy-producing features. Rather, it sets out principles for good design, which include sustainability, and exemplifies its benefits.

There are therefore no specific requirements for energy-producing features to be incorporated into new build or refurbished buildings within the Government’s Better Public Building initiative. However, alongside energy efficiency and low energy measures, it is encouraged and buildings that do so are championed, for example through the Prime Minister’s Award for Better Public Building. Information can be found at

http://www.betterpublicbuildings.gov.uk/

The section on environmentally sustainable design on pages 8 and 9 of Better public building (December 2006) summarises this position.