FACTSHEET Fabric of the Building The Palace of Westminster is one of the most iconic and significant buildings in the world. It is home to one of the busiest parliaments, with more than a million people, including 100,000 schoolchildren, passing through its doors each year Following the fire of 1834, when the old Stonework Cast Iron Roofs Palace burned down, a competition was The Palace was built using Anston The cast iron tiled roofs were installed launched for its redesign, specifying that limestone from Yorkshire because it was on wrought iron structures in the mid- the new building should be ‘Gothic or ideal for elaborate carving. However, 1800s, and used innovative, leading-edge Elizabethan’. the stone quickly began to decay and technology. However, they have never As the old Houses were originally designed very little was done to prevent its decline undergone major renovation or repair and as royal apartments and were cramped during the 19th century. Some stone now, 160 years on, the roofs are leaking, and ill-ventilated, the fire was seen as an cleaning and restoration work was carried causing significant damage to the stonework opportunity to create a state-of-the-art out in the 1930s and again in the 1980s and historic interiors of the building. and 1990s, however there is still a huge purpose-built home for Parliament, using To avoid further damage to the fabric amount of essential work to be done. cutting edge technology and the best of of the building, a phased programme of British craftsmanship. The main difficulties lie in access and the roof repairs is underway, which will also Renowned architect Charles Barry was noise and disruption caused in a continuously ensure the building is watertight before successful in his bid, with the support of used building. Internally, the original linings any major restoration and renewal work Augustus Welby Pugin, who went on to are Painswick stone from Gloucestershire begins internally. design most of the Palace’s magnificent and Caen stone from France, both chosen Gothic interiors, including carvings, gilt because they were ideal for carving. Key Facts work, panelling, and furniture. Today, much of it is in need of cleaning or Stonework The Palace is now considered to be one restoration due to wear and tear, leaking roofs, decaying windows and antiquated plumbing. • Built using sand-coloured of the finest examples of neo-gothic limestone from Anston Quarry architecture in the world and is Grade Windows in Yorkshire I-listed and part of a UNESCO World There are approximately 4,000 windows, • Each block up to 4ft thick Heritage Site. However, years of under- from basic casements in rooms and investment and the need to conduct corridors, to the ornate stained glass Windows repairs around sittings of Parliament panels that allow light to fill the many • Approx. 4,000 windows have resulted in a large backlog of hallways and chambers of the Palace. • Majority of these windows major work. (approx. 3,800) are set in This vast amount of glass, much of it set bronze frames, while others are The hidden problems of leaking roofs, in bronze frames, no longer provides gutters, and steam pipes, failing iron-framed, leaded diamond- weather resistance and generates pane or wooden mechanical and electrical systems, significant heat loss from the Palace. and antiquated heating and ventilation Cast Iron Roofs systems, are all becoming a serious The vast majority of windows do not close • 160 years old threat to the fabric of the building and properly, and all are now in need of repair or replacement. This work is needed to its interiors. • Weight of each tile: 75kg halt further damage and decay to the • Number of tiles on roof: approx. surrounding stonework, and to reduce 7,000 heat loss and running costs of the Palace. • Tile size: 100cm by 75cm by 1cm www.restorationandrenewal.parliament.uk FACTSHEET Mechanical, Electric and Public Health The Palace of Westminster is one of the most iconic and significant buildings in the world. It is home to one of the busiest parliaments, with more than a million people, including 100,000 schoolchildren, passing through its doors each year The Palace of Westminster’s Mechanical, More recent additions include cabling for Electrical and Public Health (MEP) systems telephones and communication systems, KEY FACTS provide essential services such as heating, IT systems and asbestos insulation. By • 128 MEP plant rooms, 80% in water, ventilation and power. These the late twentieth century the vertical the basement services are essentially the arteries of the and horizontal ducts had become Palace and are critical for the ongoing severely congested, making access to • 98 distribution risers throughout the Palace functioning of the building. the originally installed pipes and cables virtually impossible. • 778 radiators The primary MEP services are run mainly • 701 fan coil units along the extensive basement corridors This has led to the current situation • 272 other heaters (electric, and riser shafts (vertical ducts), while the where it has become extremely difficult to oil and unidentified) many secondary MEP services run under repair, replace or remove many of the now • 40 air handling units the floors of the Palace upper storeys. Since redundant services. The condition and construction of the Palace in the mid-1800s, age of the mechanical pipe infrastructure • 34 heat exchangers the services infrastructure has developed is variable, but some of the pipe work is • 2 km of basement corridors significantly, with additional systems added between 60-100 years old. Cabling and overlaid to serve the ever increasing These infrastructure systems include, but • 2 km high voltage cabling and changing demands of the Houses of are not limited to: steam, condensate, • 150 km low voltage cabling Parliament. These have included cabling hot and cold water systems, mains cold for specialist systems such as division bells, • 4 km earthing water, fire mains, gas, compressed air and pipe work for heating and lighting. • 2 km lightning protection and drainage. To reduce the risk of system • 4 km system clocks cabling failure to pipes and cables, and to ensure the safety of contractors working in the • 80 km fire system cabling plant rooms, the steam system must now • 70 km security systems cabling operate at a reduced pressure. • 70 km Building Management Systems cabling Because of the sheer scale of the MEP work required and the disruption it would • 11 km division bell cabling cause to the operation of both Houses, Pipework the current medium-term risk reduction • 11 km steam system programme, being run over several years, • 6 km low temperature hot water focuses only on areas at particularly • 5 km chilled water high risk of failure. Consequently, it only addresses 15% of the primary system Specialist IT cabling plant rooms and just one of the 98 risers in • 80 km telephone cabling the Palace. • 180 km network cabling • 50 km broadcast cables Cables and pipes in the basement of the Palace. www.restorationandrenewal.parliament.uk FACTSHEET Palace of Westminster The Palace of Westminster is one of the most iconic and significant buildings in the world. It is home to one of the busiest parliaments, with more than a million people, including 100,000 schoolchildren, passing through its doors each year The Palace is part of a UNESCO World The Palace was damaged by air raids on Elizabeth Tower Heritage Site which also incorporates 14 different occasions during the Second Westminster Abbey, the Jewel Tower and World War. The most notable damage was • Formerly called the Clock Tower St Margaret’s Church. caused in 1941, when the Commons Chamber • Commonly known as Big Ben was entirely destroyed. A replacement after its main bell The Palace contains a combination of was constructed to the designs of Sir Giles • Houses turret clock designed by ancient and modern structures and is Gilbert Scott and opened in 1950. E.B. Denison home to a significant collection of works • Height: 96.3m of art, archives and furnishings. It houses royal ceremonial rooms for the State Key Facts • Steps to the belfry: 334 Opening of Parliament, the Chambers for • Steps to the lantern (Ayrton both Houses and their attendant spaces, • Grade I listed building and part Light): 399 offices for members of both Houses and of UNESCO Westminster World • Weight of the Great Bell (Big their staff, together with staff working for Heritage Site Ben): 13.8 tonnes • Total ground area of Palace: the administrations. Victoria Tower 8 acres (32,375m2) – includes Designed by the architect Charles Barry to • Designed as a royal entrance all courtyards, gardens and 5 be the purpose-built home of Parliament, acres of buildings • Gateways built wide enough to it replaced the old Palace which burned allow Queen’s Coach to drive • Total internal area: 112,476m2 down in a major fire in 1834, and is now through for State Openings of – includes all floors, internal considered to be one of the finest examples Parliament walls, plant rooms, hallways, of neo-gothic architecture in the world. • Home to Parliamentary Archives Augustus Welby Pugin assisted Barry by storage spaces, and underground car park • Iron flagstaff flies Royal designing most of the Palace’s ornate Standard if monarch is present • Nearly 300m in length Gothic interiors, including carvings, gilt or Union flag at all other times work, panelling and furniture. • More than 1,100 rooms, 100 • Height: 98.5m The Palace is on four main levels and staircases and 31 lifts Westminster Hall was designed so the surviving medieval • More than 3km of passages set • Oldest structure on the estate, buildings – Westminster Hall, the Cloisters over seven levels completed in 1099 of St Stephen’s College, and the Chapel of Central Tower St Mary Undercroft – formed an integral • One of very few parts of the • Only Palace tower to have a part of the whole.