Property taxation data for nondomestic buildings in England and Wales

In this paper I will describe data provided by the UK Valuation Office (VO) for the national Non-Domestic Building Stock database developed for the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions. The purpose of this database is to support policymaking for the conservation of fossil fuels and the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. The fact that the VO data cover floor areas, activities, building construction, and building services -- all of which are liable to affect the use of fuels in buildings -- make them specially valuable for this application. Several tables and charts derived from the VO data are presented, containing statistics on the nondomestic building stock of England and Wales. A review is then given of the very considerable research potential of such a large administrative data source as the VO databases. Some of the problems that arise in the use of those data are examined.