Healthier cities: the importance of walkability

Urban design is shifting towards creating liveable, walkable cities that prioritise health and sustainability. Buro Happold’s Kathryn Woolley explains how biophilic design and active travel is creating healthier and more resilient urban spaces

Science in the city: the challenge of retrofitting labs

Empty retail space in the UK is attracting the attention of the booming life sciences sector. Cundall’s Rob van Zyl looks at the trend for retrofitting laboratories and, in particular, the challenge of ventilating them in built-up areas

How the Airbods study hastened the return of large-scale events

A CIBSE award-winning research project led by Loughborough University made a major contribution to reopening large-scale events during the pandemic – and now the collaborative team behind ‘Airbods’ is bringing its learning to the wider built environment. Phil Lattimore finds out more

A novel approach: air cleaning devices

A new CIBSE guide aims to equip specifiers and facilities managers with the knowledge to safely and effectively select air cleaners. Cundall’s Ed Wealend summarises the contents

Air of authority: interview with Professor Catherine Noakes

Professor Catherine Noakes’ knowledge of ventilation and infection transmission has made her one of the government’s key scientific advisers on Covid-19. In recognition of her work, she was made an OBE last month. Alex Smith talks to her about the challenge of winter and the impact of infection control going mainstream

Tackling NOx from CHPs

Policies encouraging gas-fired CHPs in London are going into reverse. David Blackman looks at how new air pollution policies will affect the future of heat in the capital