Houses of Parliament mulls green makeover

MPs may face frequent criticism for not being green enough, but at least their place of work could soon boast some solid environmental credentials after it emerged plans are being considered to slash the Houses of Parliament's carbon footprint by almost a third.

According to reports in today's Guardian, MPs and peers are currently considering a number of high-tech measures to cut the environmental footprint of the Palace of Westminster, including the installation of tidal power turbines in the Thames and a 35m-high wind turbine on the neighbouring Victoria Gardens.

The proposals from green consultancy BDP Sustainability were obtained under a Freedom of Information Act request and will be considered early next year by the House of Commons administration committee.

The £20m project would include a wide range of measures designed to slash the energy use of the building, which currently consumes enough electricity to power 6,500 households a year.

As well as the high-profile plans for wind turbines and tidal power, the project would also see the building's drafty windows replaced with double glazing, a borehole sunk to deliver clean drinking water and highly efficient combined heat and power (CHP) boilers installed.

However, the plans are likely to face a number of planning hurdles before they are approved, with concerns already being raised about the visual impact of installing a 35m high wind turbine so close to the World Heritage-listed building.