place, compared with its predecessor". Function events The new Parliament House is a central hub for events in Canberra, hosting many of the nation's largest and most important function events. The Parliament House is a place for meetings, conferences (government, and private), celebrations, and other miscellaneous uses. The Parliament House is one of the few parliament houses in the world where private events are permitted. The Parliament House has 14 event spaces that can be used for special events. Solar power project In 2011, the Department of Parliamentary Services commissioned a pilot 43.3 kW photovoltaic system on the roof of Parliament House in Canberra. The system is split between two locations, with 192 panels installed on the Senate wing with the remaining 42 panels on the roof of the Gardeners' Compound. At the time of construction, the system was one of the largest installed for solar power in Australia. According to the Department of Parliamentary Services, the system was switched on in June 2011 and has performed as expected by providing enough power for lighting in both the House of Representatives and the Senate. This equates to an approximate saving of $9,000 which is expected to rise to $17,000 annually. The system received an award from the Clean Energy Council in 2012 for "Best design and installation of a grid-connect power system greater than 10 kW". Engineering heritage award Both the old and new Parliament House received an Engineering Heritage National Marker from Engineers Australia as part of its Engineering Heritage Recognition Program. Criminal acts Over the years there have been some criminal acts committed in the Australian Parliament house. This was known as the 2021 Australian Parliament House sexual misconduct allegations. See also Australian landmarks Government of Australia References Books, letters, articles, websites Watson, Don (2002). Recollections of a Bleeding Heart: A Portrait of Paul Keating. Random House Australia. Jones, Barry (2006). A Thinking Reed. Allen & Unwin. Boyd, Penleigh (2018), After 30 years, does Parliament House serve politicians and people? The Canberra Times. External links Parliament of Australia Old Parliament House Parliament House / image trail from Picture Australia. This Australian ABC page gives an account of the new Parliament House. Australianexplorer Parliament House tourism site. Todae Solar Parliament House Solar Power Case Study Australian Parliament House Project Page Legislative buildings in Australia Parliament of Australia Buildings and structures in Canberra Landmarks in Canberra Seats of national legislatures