According to the Court of Audit (RH), the renovation of parliament in 2015 probably cost 19 percent more than expected. In addition, delivery was delayed by no less than 26.5 months, the audit agency reported in its report presented on Friday. The focus was on organization, planning, cost and budget development and awards from 2015 to 2022. The number of visitors and the number of rented spaces have increased.
The parliament was renovated from 2018 to 2022 and reopened in January 2023. The project examined by the RH includes the renovation of the parliament building, the transitional buildings and the relocation – an estimated cost of 517.5 million euros. This means that the project cost 19 percent or about 83.1 million euros more than estimated in November 2015. Projects and measures related to the renovation of buildings also entailed additional costs of 18 million euros, and additional costs of 3.1 million euros for preparation.
Renovation was not only more expensive, but also took longer
However, the renovation not only cost more than expected, but also took longer. Even before the pandemic, the project was delayed by 16.6 months. There was initially no extensive research into harmful substances and pollutants; the award procedures were withdrawn because the bidders’ bids significantly exceeded the upper cost limit. Due to the corona pandemic, there was a delay of approximately seven months and the delivery ultimately took 26.5 months longer than planned in a preliminary design.
The energy requirement for heating per square meter is now lower
According to the RH, fire protection and accessibility have been implemented in accordance with the law. The need for heating energy per square meter and per year was reduced by 61 percent. The fact that the energy requirement of the building remains virtually the same is due to the increase in the surface area used: instead of approximately 36,800, there is now approximately 43,000 square meters. However, the office space has decreased by 100 square meters. Meanwhile, between February 2016 and November 2022, the space rented by Parliament grew by approximately 19,400 square meters or 142 percent, resulting in additional rental costs of 3.3 million euros per year. The RH recommends that the need is continuously assessed and that the rented areas are no longer expanded.
The number of visitors has increased: before the renovation, an average of 100,000 visitors per year were counted, 500,000 are expected in 2023.
Source: Krone
I am Ida Scott, a journalist and content author with a passion for uncovering the truth. I have been writing professionally for Today Times Live since 2020 and specialize in political news. My career began when I was just 17; I had already developed a knack for research and an eye for detail which made me stand out from my peers.
