I am going to start my PhD in Heriot watt university in the Build environment department. Do you have any idea how good the department and university are?

No offense, but you should of asked this question before even thinking of making an application to HWU....however, I think they are quite good.

you can try HERO website. there you can find ranking of this University and that all of its departments so you can see how its rated.But its too late anway and i belive PhD depends on student most of the times.

Heriot Watt University School of the Built Environment has an RAE rating of 5. This means it is one of the top departments in the country for research in this field.

that department may be good... however the university is not exactly the best university in the UK!!!

When it comes to a PhD it is the reputation of the department that is important, not the reputation of the university as a whole.