Enhancements required for St Andrews House to meet carbon emission target: EIR release

Information requested

Any documents, including reports and emails, that discuss the enhancements required to St Andrew's House for it to meet the Scottish Government's targets for carbon emissions for buildings, including the required changes to its heating system.

Please include any assessment of the building as it currently operates and any estimated costs for making the changes.

Response

An initial desk based feasibility study was carried out by Hollis in early 2020 to identify options to decarbonise St Andrews House heating. A copy of the report is attached. Work was subsequently commissioned to examine in more depth the options to decarbonise St Andrews House as part of a wider refurbishment project. A copy of the presentation by Harley Haddow is attached. Costs to deliver the options are still being developed as part of an ongoing outline business case.

Some of the information you have requested has been redacted under Regulation 10(5)(a) which allows authorities to withhold information where disclosure would, or would be likely to, prejudice substantially, national security or public safety. The redacted sections of the report contain detailed floor plans, room descriptions and internal photographs of St Andrews House.

I have concluded that disclosure of this information would not be in the public interest as it would interfere with the Scottish Government’s ability to discharge its responsibilities effectively with regard to securing the safety of Scottish Government staff.

St Andrews House is a Category A listed building situated within the Edinburgh World Heritage Site and Conservation Area.

The assessment of the building as it currently operates is available in the form of an energy performance certificate from the Scottish EPC Register (scottishepcregister.org.uk).

Under regulation 6(1)(b) of the EIRs, we do not have to give you information which is already publicly available and easily accessible to you in another form or format.

Due to the size of the files we are unable to upload the documents referred to above. If you wish to consider, please contact us at the address below and we will be happy to provide.

About FOI
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