§ Mr. DowdTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what proportion of recycled demolition waste is included within the concrete structures of the new Department of the Environment headquarters building in Bressenden place, London SW1.
(2) what steps his Department has taken to ensure recycled demolition waste is used in the main structure of its new headquarters building in Bressenden place, London SW1.
(3) what proportion of the concrete arising from the demolition of the building on the site of the Department of the Environment's new headquarters in Bressenden place, London SW1 has been re-used for aggregate purposes.
§ Mr. Robert B. JonesThe redevelopment of Eland house is being undertaken by Land Securities plc. The Department has signed an agreement to take a 25-year lease with a 15-year break provision against an agreed performance specification.
The recycling of demolition waste in the construction of a building is one of the criteria of the building research establishment environmental assessment method. The developers of the new headquarters building are under contractual obligation to use reasonable endeavours to maximise its rating under BREEAM.
Uncontaminated demolition materials were specified by the developers for fill and hardcore and, where possible, used. The proportion of reuse is likely to be less than 50 per cent. by volume because concrete made from such 245W materials has an inappropriate strength-weight ratio in the context of this building's design.
The demolition of the building previously on the site of the new headquarters building was a matter for the developers. Figures relating to the proportion of concrete taken off site for crushing and re-use are not available but I understand from the developers that approximately 18,000 tonnes were dealt with in this manner.