DECC offices among least energy efficient in London

The team chose 170 high-profile buildings in the capital and, using thermal imaging cameras, estimated the energy lost through excessive heating and lack of insulation.

The Queen’s principal residence, Buckingham Palace, topped the list of inefficient buildings and was described in the report as a ‘the biggest central heating radiator in London’.

Embarrassingly the offices of the Department of Energy & Climate Change (DECC) were next on the list of poor performers.

Many other government buildings also made the ‘dirty dozen’ – the twelve worst performers.

These included older buildings like the Houses of Parliament, but also those that have been constructed relatively recently such a Portcullis House, the Westminster base for MPs’ offices and the new MI6 HQ in Vauxhall.

The best performing building on the surveyors’ hit list was the HSBC tower block in Canary Wharf.

The report was carried out by Navtiron, a company that sells renewable energy systems for buildings.

The ‘Dirty Dozen’ list in full

1. Buckingham Palace

2. DECC (Defra) [The Department of Energy and Climate Change (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)]

3. Ministry of Defence

4. Horse Guards Barracks

5. Shell Building

6. Home Office

7. Houses of Parliament

8. Treasury

9. Portcullis House

10. MI6 HQ

11. Albert Hall

12. St James’ Palace

Sam Bond