Science & Technology
Recognising outstanding achievements at CIBSE Building Performance Awards 2025
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The Park Plaza Westminster Bridge in London came alive on Thursday, 27 February 2025 for the prestigious CIBSE Building Performance Awards. This remarkable event celebrated the individuals, organisations, products and projects that set new benchmarks for sustainability, innovation and performance in the built environment. It was hosted by comedian Marcus Brigstocke.
With a total of 30 diverse categories this year, the BPAs highlighted the crucial contributions across disciplines that shape the future of the built environment. Key categories included Best Digital Innovation, Project of the Year, Product or Innovation of the Year and Building Performance Champion.
Among the evening’s many highlights, the Engineer of the Year award was presented to Volkan Doda, Head of Design Technologies at Atelier Ten. A designer of immense creativity and dedication, Volkan’s expertise in both theory and application exemplify the cutting edge of building performance. His commitment to fostering talent and delivering innovative, high-performance solutions has made him a valued leader in the field.
The title of Building Performance Champion and Project of the Year – Retrofit Workplaces went to The Entopia Building, an extraordinary collaboration between Max Fordham, Architype, and BDP. This transformational project in Cambridge turned a 1930s structure into an ultra-low-carbon sustainability hub, demonstrating groundbreaking application of circular economy principles. With Passivhaus EnerPHit certification and targeting multiple other sustainability accolades, The Entopia Building showcases the future of environmentally conscious design, achieving a staggering 84% reduction in whole-life carbon compared to standard retrofits.
The event showcased the remarkable breadth of talent and innovation in the industry. Among the highly commended entries were the Passive Cooling Double-skin Roof by Universidad de Sevilla in the Product or Innovation of the Year – Thermal Comfort category and the Aldar Energy Retrofit Project by grfn in Project of the Year – Portfolio Workplaces, highlighting a wealth of inspiring achievements. This year’s BPAs once again demonstrated CIBSE’s commitment to fostering innovation and excellence in the built environment. By showcasing outstanding achievements and raising the bar for industry standards, the Awards inspire the entire sector to strive for sustainable, efficient and people-centred solutions.
Full list of winners:
Building Performance Champion
Winner: The Entopia Building – Max Fordham, Architype & BDP
Best Digital Innovation – Organisational Strategy
Winner: Cyclops – Foster + Partners
Best Digital Innovation – Project Delivery
Winner: Sydney Airport International Terminal T1 Chilled Water Plant Optimisation – A.G. Coombs Group, Exergenics
Building Performance Consultancy (over 300 employees)
Winner: AtkinsRéalis
Sponsor: ABB
Building Performance Consultancy (up to 50 employees)
Winner: Cyclone Energy Group
Sponsor: Mitsubishi Electric
Building Performance Consultancy (51 – 300 employees)
Winner: XCO2
Sponsor: Airflow
CIBSE Embodied Carbon Award – Products and Systems: for Manufacturers and Suppliers
Winner: Apollo Fire Detectors
Sponsor: CIBSE Certification
CIBSE Embodied Carbon Award – Services and Projects for Consultants
Winner: Q Sustain
Sponsor: CMR
Client of the Year
Winner: London Borough of Islington
Collaboration
Winner: L&G’s Symphony Model – Legal & General, Demand Logic, Bellrock and Partners
Sponsor: CIBSE Lifecycle Carbon Assessment Training
Engineer of the Year
Winner: Volkan Doda, Head of Design Technologies – Atelier Ten
Sponsor: Ideal Heating Commercial
Facilities Management
Winner: 20 Fenchurch Street – Savills
Sponsor: Gratte Brothers Group
Leadership
Winner: Swire Properties
Learning and Development
Winner: The ZERO teaching and internship programme on zero-carbon energy buildings – ZERO Institute, University of Oxford
Sponsor: BCIA
Product or Innovation of the Year – Air Quality
Winner: The Pluvo Column – Pluvo
Sponsor: CIBSE Patrons
Product or Innovation of the Year – Thermal Comfort
Winner: Optimum Air Conditioning System – EcoTechX
Product or Innovation of the Year – Wellbeing
Winner: Nature Connect – Signify
Project of the Year – Residential
Winner: Agar Grove 1b – Max Fordham
Sponsor: Crane Fluid Systems
Project of the Year – Retrofit Workplaces
Winner: The Entopia Building – Max Fordham, Architype & BDP
Sponsor: Crane Fluid Systems
Project of the Year – New Build Workplaces
Winner: Globe Point, Temple – Hoare Lea
Sponsor: Crane Fluid Systems
Project of the Year – Portfolio Workplaces
Winner: Cathedral Hill Industrial Estate,13 units – SRE
Sponsor: Crane Fluid Systems
Full list of highly commended:
Best Digital Innovation – Project Delivery
Highly Commended: Paper Trails to Digital Triumphs – Savills
Building Performance Consultancy (over 300 employees)
Highly Commended: Buro Happold
Sponsor: ABB
Building Performance Consultancy (51 – 300 employees)
Highly Commended: Max Fordham
Sponsor: Airflow
CIBSE Embodied Carbon Award – Services and Projects: for Consultants
Highly Commended: AECOM
Sponsor: CMR
Leadership
Highly Commended: Andy Jackson, Head of Central London Operations & UK Engineering – Savills
Learning and Development
Highly Commended: Building Safety Act – Training and Assessment – Hoare Lea
Sponsor: BCIA
Product or Innovation of the Year – Thermal Comfort
Highly Commended: Passive Cooling Double-skin Roof – Universidad de Sevilla
Project of the Year – Residential
Highly Commended: Brambles – Bere Architects
Sponsor: Crane Fluid Systems
Project of the Year – Portfolio Workplaces
Highly Commended: Aldar Energy Retrofit Project – grfn
Sponsor: Crane Fluid Systems
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Science & Technology
Quantum Computing Breakthroughs: Disrupting Industries with Oxford’s Innovations
A recent breakthrough in quantum computing at the University of Oxford promises to disrupt multiple industries by significantly enhancing computational capabilities. Explore the technological implications and potential disruptions poised to redefine sectors.
In May 2026, the University of Oxford announced a significant breakthrough in the field of quantum computing, unveiling an advanced error correction algorithm that has the potential to transform computational capabilities. This development is not just a scientific triumph; it heralds a new era of technological disruption across multiple industries. Quantum computing, long anticipated as the next frontier in technology, promises to solve complex problems beyond the reach of classical computers, and Oxford’s latest advancement brings this closer to reality.
At the core of this breakthrough is the enhancement in quantum error correction, a critical component that addresses the inherent instability of qubits, which are the fundamental units of quantum information. Traditional computers use bits of 0s and 1s, but quantum computers operate on qubits, which can exist in multiple states simultaneously. This superposition allows quantum computers to process information exponentially faster than classical computers. However, qubits are notoriously prone to errors due to environmental noise and operational inaccuracies. Oxford’s new algorithm significantly improves the error correction process, maintaining qubit stability longer and allowing extended computational tasks to be performed accurately.
The implications of this are profound. Industries ranging from pharmaceuticals to finance stand on the cusp of disruption as quantum computing offers the ability to model complex molecular structures, optimize large-scale financial portfolios, and even revolutionize artificial intelligence algorithms. In pharmaceuticals, for example, quantum computing can expedite drug discovery by accurately simulating molecular interactions, potentially reducing the time and cost associated with bringing new drugs to market. Similarly, in finance, quantum algorithms can optimize trading strategies and risk management with a precision unattainable by current technologies.
Moreover, the ripple effects of such a leap in computational power extend to data encryption and cybersecurity. Quantum computers possess the potential to decrypt classical encryption methods, prompting a race for quantum-resistant cryptography. This necessitates a paradigm shift in how we secure digital information, affecting every sector that relies on data security.
Despite the tremendous promise, the transition to quantum computing is not without its challenges. The infrastructure required to support quantum technologies is expensive and complex. There is also a significant skills gap; experts in quantum computing are scarce, and training a new generation of scientists and engineers is imperative. Furthermore, ethical considerations regarding the power of quantum computing must be addressed, particularly in terms of privacy and security.
Looking forward, as quantum computing continues to evolve, industries will need to adapt swiftly to harness its capabilities. Early adopters who invest in quantum technologies and develop quantum-ready strategies will likely dominate in the coming decade. As Oxford’s breakthrough demonstrates, the race is on to fully realize the potential of quantum computing and redefine the boundaries of what is technologically possible.
Science & Technology
Apple’s AI Innovations: Shaping the Competitive Landscape in 2026
Apple’s latest advancements in artificial intelligence are setting the stage for a competitive showdown with other tech giants. This article explores how Apple’s AI strategy is positioning the company in the fast-evolving tech landscape.
In the bustling realm of technology, few companies command as much attention as Apple. In 2026, the Silicon Valley titan has once again captured the tech world’s gaze with its latest advances in artificial intelligence. As Apple unveils a suite of AI-driven innovations, the competitive landscape is poised for a seismic shift.
Apple’s strategic focus on AI is not merely about introducing new features but is a calculated move to redefine user experiences while maintaining its staunch advocacy for privacy. At the heart of Apple’s AI initiatives is the promise of personalization—an AI that learns and adapts to the user’s preferences, offering seamless interaction across its range of devices. This focus is especially pertinent in an era where user data is a hot commodity, and privacy concerns are at an all-time high.
What sets Apple apart in the AI race is its dual emphasis on innovation and privacy. While competitors like Google and Amazon have long been heralded for their AI prowess, often prioritizing expansive data collection to fuel their AI engines, Apple has carved out a niche by leveraging on-device processing. This approach not only mitigates privacy risks but also enhances real-time responsiveness, a crucial factor in user satisfaction.
The competitive implications of Apple’s AI advancements are profound. Google’s AI, renowned for its search and recommendation algorithms, faces a formidable challenger in Apple’s ecosystem-centric approach. Meanwhile, Amazon’s Alexa, which dominates the smart assistant market, must contend with Apple’s Siri, now equipped with enhanced contextual understanding and predictive capabilities.
Microsoft, another major player, has been making strides with its integration of AI in cloud services and productivity tools. However, Apple’s holistic approach—integrating AI across hardware, software, and services—presents a cohesive strategy that is difficult to replicate. This integration not only ensures a seamless user experience but also reinforces brand loyalty, a cornerstone of Apple’s business model.
As AI continues to evolve, the stakes in the tech industry are higher than ever. Apple’s innovations are not just about keeping pace but are strategically designed to place the company at the forefront of the AI revolution. In doing so, Apple is not only safeguarding its market position but is also setting new benchmarks in how technology can enhance and secure our digital lives.
The road ahead will undoubtedly see further advancements and competition, but Apple’s current trajectory suggests it is well-positioned to lead in the AI domain. By prioritizing user-centric design and privacy, Apple is not just participating in the AI race; it is setting the pace.
Science & Technology
AI Fitness Instructors and Unreal Gains: Revolutionizing the Fitness Industry
The rise of AI-driven fitness programs is transforming the fitness industry. Explore the technology, its impact on traditional fitness models, and how it is reshaping consumer expectations.
Artificial intelligence is making its mark across various sectors, and the fitness industry is no exception. With the advent of AI-driven fitness instructors, there is a seismic shift underway in how fitness is perceived and pursued. This article delves into the rise of AI in fitness, examining the technology behind it, its effects on traditional fitness models, and the shifting expectations of consumers.
In recent years, AI fitness instructors have become increasingly popular, offering personalized workout programs, real-time feedback, and virtual coaching. These AI systems utilize advanced algorithms to tailor fitness routines that adapt to an individual’s progress and preferences, making fitness more accessible and engaging than ever before.
At the core of AI fitness instructors is sophisticated machine learning technology. These systems collect data from various sources, such as wearable devices and user inputs, to create personalized fitness plans. AI analyzes this data to optimize workouts, ensuring they are challenging yet achievable, and provides insights that were previously accessible only through one-on-one sessions with human trainers.
The integration of AI into fitness is transforming traditional models. Gyms and fitness centers are incorporating AI technologies to enhance their offerings, while some consumers opt for entirely virtual experiences. This shift is challenging the status quo, pushing traditional trainers to adapt by integrating technology into their own practices to remain competitive.
As AI fitness programs become more prevalent, consumer expectations are evolving. Users now demand more personalized and flexible fitness solutions that fit into their busy lifestyles. AI provides this adaptability, offering users the ability to engage in workouts anytime, anywhere, without compromising on quality or effectiveness.
Looking ahead, the role of AI in fitness is set to expand. As technology continues to advance, we can expect even more innovative solutions that enhance user experience and outcomes. AI-driven gamification elements, for example, are already being explored to increase engagement and motivation.
The rise of AI fitness instructors represents a significant evolution in the fitness industry. By offering personalized, accessible, and innovative solutions, AI is not only transforming how people engage with fitness but also challenging traditional models and expectations. As this technology continues to develop, the potential for further disruption and improvement in the fitness sector is immense.
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