After attending COP28, Hoare Lea’s Ashley Bateson FCIBSE is more acutely aware than ever of the need to avoid fossil fuels, embrace biodiversity and focus on performance
Author: mollytooherrudd
Network provider: Gareth Jones on the heat network revolution
The Energy Act 2023 paves the way for the mass rollout of heat networks in the UK, and the mandatory connection of many buildings. Alex Smith speaks to FairHeat’s Gareth Jones about government plans to regulate new networks and raise the standard of the 14,000 already in place
Beyond boundaries: constructing the Discovery Building in Antarctica
What does it take to build a state-of-the-art science and operations facility during the Antarctic winter? David Brand delves into the challenges of construction in one of the world’s harshest climates
Infrared shift: a new standard for LiFi
A new standard covering the use of infrared in LiFi communication catapults the technology into mainstream relevance – a move that could redefine data communication in built environments, says LiFi.co’s Jeroen van Gils
Reaching new heights: the all-timber Black and White office building
A six-storey timber façade at the Black and White office building in London helped slash embodied carbon and won its engineer an SFE Façade 2023 Design and Engineering Award. Andy Pearson finds out how the winning design was engineered while alleviating safety risks
The narrow gate: gaining design approval for higher-risk buildings
Higher-risk building projects are now subject to a new building control regime. Hywel Davies explains the approval process
Going with the flow: how improved design can lead to better roof drainage
Traditional roofs in Japan were designed to deflect rainwater away from a building and these types of roof forms are an elegant and sustainable alternative to the pipework and guttering used now. Jake Cherniayeff says a performance-based design approach can achieve similar drainage strategies on modern buildings
Navigating the circular maze: tools to create more sustainable lighting design
How are the new CIBSE/SLL circular tools measuring up? Nulty’s Gary Thornton discusses plotting a path to sustainability from a lighting designer’s perspective
Control explosion: review of LG14 Control of Electric Lighting
No longer an optional extra, control systems have become an integral component of lighting schemes. Jill Entwistle talks to Sophie Parry about the Society of Light and Lighting’s updated guide to an increasingly important field
The smart route to electrification: optimising and managing energy use
The challenges of electrification are surmountable by managing demand and optimising energy use. Chris Worboys, with help from Luke Osborne, explains how, ahead of their presentation at CIBSE Build2Peform Live