Aecom has helped develop a vast energy centre in West London that will pipe waste heat from data centres into 10,000 new homes and existing businesses via a heat network. The company’s Asad Kwaja looks at the ‘architecture’ behind the design
Category: Case Studies
Passivhaus case study: Woodmill High School and St Columba’s RC High School
The UK’s largest Passivhaus education building has operational energy use of just 45kWh·m-² per year. Andy Pearson looks at how the project team optimised performance and qualified for an outcome-based funding boost
Rewriting the rules of retrofit: the Entopia building
The Entopia Building sets a new benchmark for sustainable retrofits. Andy Pearson explores how CIBSE’s 2025 Building Performance Champion used a fabric-first approach to cut whole life carbon by 84%
Net zero healing: the NHS National Rehabilitation Centre
The National Rehabilitation Centre near Loughborough is being designed to achieve the new NHS Net Zero Building Standard and be a template for a new generation of smart buildings in the NHS. Alex Smith reports
A new chapter in façade design: Beijing’s unique new library
A groundbreaking self-supporting glass façade, the tallest of its kind in China, wraps Beijing’s unique new library. Andy Pearson finds out how engineer Eckersley O’Callaghan turned a highly complex design into a buildable reality
British Land’s heat pump retrofit at York House
The adoption of energy management standards has been key to enabling British Land to target net zero carbon by 2030 and begin the energy transition to heat pumps across its multibillion-pound estate. Alex Smith reports
From gas to green: heat pump installation at Greenpeace
By swapping a boiler for an air source heat pump at its North London HQ, Greenpeace UK is leading by example in saying no to gas. Andy Pearson reports on the challenges of converting the 1920s premises
The museum of tomorrow: The London Museum transformation
The London Museum’s relocation to Smithfield Market is an ambitious £437m project to transform a series of abandoned market buildings into a state-of-the-art cultural destination. Andy Pearson looks at how Arup’s smart services strategy will ensure energy use is 70% lower than Building Regulations
Home advantage: Everton Football Club’s new stadium
Everton Football Club’s new stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock is nearing completion, showcasing cutting-edge digital design and modern construction methods. Andy Pearson reports
Platform for sustainability: Paris Olympics Aquatics Centre
The low carbon, sustainable design of the Paris 2024 Aquatics Centre will help halve the Olympics’ carbon footprint compared with London 2012. Andy Pearson looks at the passive-first design and the lasting legacy of the Games’ only new venue