Below is a selection of my newspaper and magazine articles on topics related to my specialist areas – the built environment, climate change adaptation and urban design.
BBC Future: What happens when a city bans cars from its streets?
In this article I explored how several cities around the world are trying to design cars out of the urban sphere.
BBC Travel: Hydra: The Greek island that banned wheels
I visited the Greek island of Hydra, to learn how people live in a place where wheeled vehicles are banned.
BBC Future: The rise of the urban cable car
Cable cars are increasingly being used as a form of cheap but effective urban transport in cities around the world.
The Planner: Taking charge: Planning for on-street electric vehicle charging
I visited Coventry to learn about the rollout of EV charging infrastructure.
E&T: Is it the end of the road for asphalt and concrete?
Most roads today are built from unsustainable materials. In this piece I explored new materials and techniques.
E&T: What happens to traditional cars when EVs rule the road?
There are millions of ICE cars that will soon be replaced by EVs. I found out what might happen to all those vehicles.
E&T: Climate change and landslides: the slippery slope towards disaster?
Climate change makes landslides more likely in our cities. I explored the causes and how we can adapt.
Londonist: Who Actually Uses London’s Outdoor Gyms?
Free outdoor gyms are an increasingly common feature of urban parks. I reported on their design and the people who use them.
CityMonitor: Ciclovia – the weekly sporting event shutting roads across Colombia
Ciclovia is a weekly event in Colombian cities where roads are closed for people to exercise.
E&T: Designing cities for the aged
Cities are often challenging places to live as an older person. In this article I looked at how they can be made friendlier for elderly people.
Cycling Plus: A better path?
British cycle lanes are starting to improve, but there’s a long way to go. In this article I explored how they’re designed.
Independent: Should we really be living communally?
Modern city dwellers often live alone or with one other person. I looked into alternative, communal setups.
E&T: Net zero buildings – the future of construction?
I reported on how various companies are building ‘net zero’ buildings.
E&T: Can England’s new ‘biodiversity net gain’ law reverse declines in nature?
England is introducing laws that force developers to increase biodiversity. I found out how it would work.
E&T: Supply and demand: the water pressure on cities worldwide
As the climate changes, cities are facing greater water stress than ever. I investigated solutions from Cape Town to California.
E&T: How to make your home net zero
I paid a visit to the home of an electrical engineer who’d rigged his property up to be extremely energy efficient.
E&T: Climate change adaptation
I found out about how several key sectors are adapting to climate change, including agriculture, transport, energy and housing.
E&T: The future of car parking
Cars take up a huge amount of space in our cities. In this article, I investigated new ways of storing them.
Other articles
I’ve had dozens of other articles published on an eclectic range of topics, for a wide range of publications:
Travel articles
Independent: Getting off the beaten track in Crete on a road trip to the Greek island’s rebellious heart
BBC: A new love for medieval-style travel
Jewish News: Shabbat solo in Kochi
The Connexion: More French than the French… in India
Londonist: Inside Brick Lane’s Mosque That Was A Synagogue That Was A Church
E&T: India’s Nilgiri Mountain Railway: a train journey into the clouds
Biodiversity, climate change and planetary health
E&T: Planetary Boundaries: it’s not just about the carbon emissions
The European: The renewables transition: do we have the energy?
The European: Sensing a threat
E&T: Can mining ever go green?
E&T: Tackling the oceans’ dead zones
E&T: Is oil dead? ‘Black gold’ loses its sparkle
Dolfin: A bull market for artificial animal products?
E&T: How to capture biodiversity loss
E&T: Smart technology tackles East Africa’s locust swarms
Dolfin: A ship-shape investment
Engineering, construction and industry
E&T: Five innovative materials that could change construction
E&T: A light salad: LEDs revolutionise the horticulture industry
E&T: Seven ways seaports are adapting to modern challenges
E&T: Sitting pretty: in search of the perfect chair
E&T: How the pandemic might change engineering education forever
E&T: A final call for passengers? How airports will change after the pandemic
E&T: Who is tackling the pandemic of waste?
E&T: EWB asks for ‘globally responsible’ engineers
The European: Automatically sorted – robots in waste management
Dolfin: Charging into the future – which battery tech will win out?
Professional Engineering: Taking out the trash – how engineers could tackle the landfill problem
Dolfin: 5G – a race to nowhere?
Society, politics, and culture
There are standards for everything – even making a cup of tea | The Independent
How coronavirus could change funerals forever | The Independent | The Independent
What could state education learn from alternative schools? | The Independent
Why natural resources can do countries more harm than good | The Independent
A death abroad: The grim business of bringing home the dead | The Independent
Where are all the nukes? | E&T Magazine (theiet.org)
The AK-47: a malevolent ‘super-power’ that changed the course of history | The Independent
The story of rice: How a humble grain changed the world | The Independent
How Britain’s fast-growing deer population is undermining climate efforts | The Independent
The rhythm of your heart: the fascinating ways music affects our bodies and minds | The Independent
It’s not rocket science: The importance of psychology in space travel | The Independent
The rise of the megachurch | The Independent
Esports: more than a game – Features | blglobal.co.uk
What is the metaverse? | E&T Magazine (theiet.org)
How to turn the UK into a science and technology ‘superpower’ | E&T Magazine (theiet.org)
People analytics: insight or intrusion? – The European Magazine (the-european.eu)
Business, finance and tech
Death of banks? – Features | blglobal.co.uk
The Review | What to make of the FCA’s communications? (cisi.org)
The Review | The onboarding tightrope (cisi.org)
Positive outlook – Features | blglobal.co.uk
Only as strong as the weakest link – The European Magazine (the-european.eu)
How to be an expat – Features | blglobal.co.uk
Forecast for disruption – The European Magazine (the-european.eu)
The rise of wealthtech | Dolfin