Of course, the most pressing, current question is: how do we make a planet which sustainably supports 11.5 billion people?

Watch this space.. It’s all about agility; the ability to plan and respond to changing circumstances in complex situations.But agility can’t simply be reactive.

We have to design it into our built environment.Future-proofing is no longer about thinking how we might repurpose a building in twenty years’ time.The question now is how we allow for changes that may well cycle round in a matter of months..

In a world where everyone may need to work from home, what does that mean for designing and building flats and houses?If every occupant has to have the space, power and connectivity to work effectively?

And what will we do with that space if it’s not needed, if the occupants have jobs that can’t be done at home?.

How will we design and build offices, if there’s the possibility that they might have to be re-purposed for domestic, healthcare or manufacturing purposes?Air handling systems were designed to use as little energy as possible, whilst ensuring a healthy, fresh indoor environment.

So demand control ventilation, activated by CO. 2. sensors, provides an optimal level of fresh air in fitness areas.And in the same way, an advanced, mixed mode system with Building Management System control, ventilates the sports halls.

By using low energy passive ventilation for periods of lower use, but powerful mechanical ventilation at peak times, it minimises energy consumption whilst maximising the comfort of users.Occupant thermal comfort modelling demonstrated that mechanical systems were able to keep people at a comfortable temperature, whatever the weather.