All articles by Thomas Lane
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CommentFailure to tackle shoddy retrofit work could destroy confidence in the industry
The shock findings of this week’s NAO report into botched external wall insulation installations has damaged public confidence in the benefits of retrofit. Decisive action is needed to restore faith and prevent future waste, says Thomas Lane
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FeaturesToo good to waste: How to recycle an old building for use on a brand new one
30 Duke Street on Piccadilly features reclaimed steel, recycled glass, aluminium window frames and Portland stone from the building there before. Thomas Lane went along to have a look
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FeaturesFrom discontented planners to a glorious summer: Leicester Cathedral’s new extension
The number of visitors to Leicester Cathedral soared following the discovery of Richard III’s tomb. The opening of a new heritage and learning centre marks the completion of Leicester cathedral’s masterplan to improve facilities for staff and visitors alike, Thomas Lane reports
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Features76 Upper Ground: Denys Lasdun’s 1960s South Bank vision is realised at last
The IBM Building was a cut-down version of architect Denys Lasdun’s plans for a complementary neighbour to the National Theatre on the banks of the Thames. AHMM’s recent refurbishment, which sees the building brought firmly into the 21st century, means that original vision is now complete
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FeaturesHow hard is it to decarbonise the construction of new homes?
Source: Shutterstock The embodied carbon of new homes can be reduced by using alternatives to carbon intensive brick such as the timber boarding on these homes at Aborfield Green, a new village in Berkshire More than 60% of a new home’s total carbon footprint is emitted before ...
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CommentDoes Tony Blair have a point about net zero?
The former prime minister has said the government’s energy policy is doomed to fail, a line taken by Reform and the Tories. Thomas Lane asks what this means for Britain’s decarbonisation ambitions
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FeaturesMission accomplished: University completes test drive towards net zero carbon building standard
Source: Ella Wheatley The building is located in a courtyard at Manchester Metropolitan University. Source: Ella Wheatley The multifunctional laboratory can be used as a small workshop, an exhibition space or as a venue for lectures Source: Ella Wheatley The laboratory is ...
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FeaturesHow Everton built their new stadium in just five years (Manchester United take note)
The first test event to demonstrate that the stadium meets safety standards was held in February. A second one was held in March with the third and final event, which will feature a capacity crowd, will take place later this year before the season starts ...
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FeaturesMax headroom: How floor jacking could give old buildings a new lease of life
Extending the building wasn’t an option as it is hemmed in above, below and on all four sides
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FeaturesCanada Water: Is it a match for Kings Cross?
The first phase of British Land’s 53 acre mixed use development in south-east London is almost finished. Thomas Lane went along to have a look
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FeaturesWhy 65 Holborn Viaduct could be the most difficult site ever to be built on in London
A disused railway station below half of a central London site meant conventional piling was out of the question. The team that built a five-storey basement under Claridge’s hotel while keeping it open were drafted in to come up with a radical solution
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CommentIs it time to stop building in the wildfire affected areas of California?
The recent fires in the hills around Los Angeles are the most costly in US history. Does it really make sense to live in these heavily wooded places?
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FeaturesMaterial passports: the key to carbon reduction, greater component reuse and more sustainable construction
Logging the details of the products and materials used on projects so they can have a second life after demolition has been discussed but never practised on a large London construction project – until now, Thomas Lane reports
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FeaturesThe Elephant reborn: How Multiplex is rebuilding a south London landmark
The crumbling Elephant and Castle shopping centre built in the 1960s is being reinvented as a mixed-use destination as part of Southwark council’s strategy to regenerate the area. Thomas Lane visits to see how it is coming along
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FeaturesHow a Victorian hospital became a forward-focused university department
When the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh moved to a new site on the edge of the city, the old hospital was left to rot because of its uncompromising layout. Two decades later it has been reinvented as the Edinburgh Futures Institute, an educational initative which seeks to help solve the ...
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CommentThe net zero carbon buildings standard: tough but achievable?
The new standard is the most ambitious attempt to limit carbon emissions from buildings to date. What is behind it, and when will it start to make a difference?
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FeaturesSpace House: 1960s icon gets another chance to shine
Centrepoint’s little sister was realised by the same architect and developer and built with similar pioneering techniques. Neglected for the past four decades, a recent refurbishment restores and celebrates the building’s groundbreaking architectural qualities
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FeaturesPicking up Carillion’s pieces: how Balfour Beatty finally finished the Midland Metropolitan University Hospital
West Birmingham’s new super hospital has just opened, six years later than planned following the failure of Carillion in 2018. Thomas Lane visits the new building to find out how the team overcame multiple problems, and to see what the finished project is like
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FeaturesHinkley Point C: Building Britain’s first nuclear reactor in 30 years
Like its Finnish and French twins, Hinkley Point C has suffered from cost overuns and delays. What are the team doing to claw back the losses and what does this mean for Sizewell C?