"It's time to see all those circular economy strategies for what they are"
The circular economy is an unhelpfully vague concept that belongs in the recycling bin, writes Smith Mordak. More about "It's time to see all those circular economy strategies for what they are"
"We need plastic to keep our economic order going"
Governments' failure to agree a treaty on curbing plastics pollution draws attention to how reliant on the material we have become but there may be a silver lining, writes Smith Mordak. More about "We need plastic to keep our economic order going"
"Under capitalism, we cannot make ethical, sustainable products affordable"
Designers and brands producing more ethical products are sometimes criticised for their high prices, but there's not much that can be done without systemic change, writes Smith Mordak. More about "Under capitalism, we cannot make ethical, sustainable products affordable"
"The Paris Olympic Village air-conditioning debacle is a perfect illustration of the barriers to climate action"
The row over air conditioning in the athletes' village at the Paris 2024 Olympics demonstrates the scale of the challenge we face in gaining acceptance for sustainable building technologies, writes Smith Mordak as part of our Olympic Impact series. More about "The Paris Olympic Village air-conditioning debacle is a perfect illustration of the barriers to climate action"
"We can't detox our built environment by swapping out fossil-fuelled building materials for timber"
The way we build must fundamentally shift to harmonise with tree and carbon cycles in order to realise the Timber Revolution, writes Smith Mordak. More about "We can't detox our built environment by swapping out fossil-fuelled building materials for timber"
"COP27 was a deeply depressing experience"
The COP27 conference was made a miserable affair by its dreadful architecture as much as the disheartening tenor of the discussions and debates, writes Smith Mordak. More about "COP27 was a deeply depressing experience"
Ten principles for designing cool spaces for hot weather
Following a record-breaking heatwave in the UK and western Europe, with climate change meaning that sweltering temperatures are likely to become more common, Smith Mordak outlines 10 ways to design buildings that remain cool in hot weather. More about Ten principles for designing cool spaces for hot weather
"Green jobs are the magical unicorns of the job market"
A transition to sustainable jobs will not be a silver bullet to solve the global climate crisis, writes Smith Mordak. More about "Green jobs are the magical unicorns of the job market"
"We're not going to profiteer our way out of climate change"
Corporations are focusing on climate change because it's a "great investment", but we're not going to profiteer our way out of the environmental crisis, argues architect Smith Mordak in the aftermath of Cop26. More about "We're not going to profiteer our way out of climate change"