Essays

Investor of first resort

Industrial strategy and new forms of patient finance, such as mission-oriented national investment banks, must work together to solve 21st-century challenges.

Tipping point

Transforming the way research is done in construction will open up new possibilities to disrupt a sector that is in urgent need of change.

Green by design

Heritage can play an active role in sustainable development contributions to the majority, if not all, of the UN Sustainable Development Goals. 

The fifth age of cities

As global investors look for long-term income streams, their interests will become increasingly aligned with community interests and environmental pressures.

The last mile in energy access

There are lessons to be learned from Colombia's approach to providing electricity for people living in off-grid areas of the country.

Designing Together

Co-design methods are well established in service and product design, but have rarely been applied to infrastructure. That needs to change – fast.

Transforming informal settlements

Academic international partnerships can play a role in responding to power imbalances among higher-education institutions, while addressing the challenges of sustainable development.

Fit for the future

Tackling the UK government's four Grand Challenges requires governance structures able to cope with uncertainty over the next three decades.