This article is from The Spark, MIT Technology Reviews weekly climate newsletter. To receive it in your inbox every Wednesday, sign up here. I love the fresh start that comes with a new year. And one thing adding a boost to my January is our newest list of 10 Breakthrough Technologies. In case you havent browsed this years list or a previous version, it features tech thats either breaking into prominence or changing society. We typically recognize a range of items running from early-stage research to consumer technologies that folks are getting their hands on now. As I was looking over the finished list this week, I was struck by something: While there are some entries from other fields that are three or even five years away, all the climate items are either newly commercially available or just about to be. Its certainly apt, because this year in particular seems to be bringing a new urgency to the fight against climate change. Were facing global political shifts and entering the second half of the decade. Its time for these climate technologies to grow up and get out there. Green steel Steel is a crucial material for buildings and vehicles, and making it accounts for around 8% of global greenhouse-gas emissions. New manufacturing methods could be a huge part of cleaning up heavy industry, and theyre just on the cusp of breaking into the commercial market. One company, called Stegra, is close to starting up the worlds first commercial green steel plant, which will make the metal using hydrogen from renewable sources. (You might know this company by its former name, H2 Green Steel, as we included it on our 2023 list of Climate Tech Companies to Watch.) When I first started following Stegra a few years ago, its plans for a massive green steel plant felt incredibly far away. Now the company says its on track to produce steel at the factory by next year. The biggest challenge in this space is money. Building new steel plants is expensiveStegra has raised almost $7 billion. And the companys product will be more expensive than conventional material, so itll need to find customers willing to pay up (so far, it has). There are other efforts to clean up steel that will all face similar challenges around money, including another play in Sweden called Hybrit and startups like Boston Metal and Electra, which use different processes. Read more about green steel, and the potential obstacles it faces as we enter a new phase of commercialization, in this short blurb and in this longer feature about Stegra. Cow burp remedies Humans love burgers and steaks and milk and cheese, so we raise a whole bunch of cows. The problem is, these animals are among a group with a funky digestion process that produces a whole lot of methane (a powerful greenhouse gas). A growing number of companies are trying to develop remedies that help cut down on their methane emissions. This is one of my favorite items on the list this year (and definitely my favorite illustrationat the very least, check out this blurb to enjoy the art). Theres already a commercially available option right now: a feed additive called Bovaer from DSM-Firmenich that the company says can cut methane emissions by 30% in dairy cattle, and more in beef cattle. Startups are right behind with their own products, some of which could prove even better. A key challenge all these companies face moving forward is acceptance: from regulatory agencies, farmers, and consumers. Some companies still need to go through lengthy and often expensive tests to show that their products are safe and effective. Theyll also need to persuade farmers to get on board. Some might also face misinformation thats causing some consumers to protest these new additives. Cleaner jet fuel While planes crisscrossing the world are largely powered by fossil fuels, some alternatives are starting to make their appearance in aircraft. New fuels, today mostly made from waste products like used cooking oil, can cut down emissions from air travel. In 2024, they made up about 0.5% of the fuel supply. But new policies could help these fuels break into new prominence, and new options are helping to widen their supply. The key challenge here is scale. Global demand for jet fuel was about 100 billion gallons last year, so well need a whole lot of volume from new producers to make a dent in aviations emissions. To illustrate the scope, take LanzaJets new plant, opened in 2024. Its the first commercial-scale facility that can make jet fuel with ethanol, and it has a capacity of about 9 million gallons annually. So we would need about 10,000 of those plants to meet global demanda somewhat intimidating prospect. Read more in my write-up here. From cow burps to jet fuel to green steel, theres a huge range of tech thats entering a new stage of deployment and will need to face new challenges in the next few years. Well be watching it allthanks for coming along. Now read the rest of The Spark Related reading Check out our full list of 2025s Breakthrough Technologies here. Theres also a poll where you can vote for what you think the 11th item should be. Im not trying to influence anyones vote, but I think methane-detecting satellites are pretty interestingjust saying This package is part of our January/February print issue, which also includes stories on: This system thats tracking early warning signs of infection in wheat crops How wind could be a low-tech solution to help clean up shipping Efforts to use human waste in agriculture JUSTIN SULLIVAN/GETTY Another thing EVs are (mostly) set for solid growth in 2025, as my colleague James Temple covers in his newest story. Check it out for more about whats next for electric vehicles, including what we might expect from a new administration in the US and how China is blowing everyone else out of the water. Keeping up with climate Winter used to be the one time of year that California didnt have to worry about wildfires. A rapidly spreading fire in the southern part of the state is showing thats not the case anymore. (Bloomberg) Teslas annual sales decline for the first time in over a decade. Deliveries were lower than expected for the final quarter of the year. (Associated Press) Meanwhile, in China, EVs are set to overtake traditional cars in sales years ahead of schedule. Forecasts suggest that EVs could account for 50% of car sales this year. (Financial Times) KoBold metals raised $537 million in funding to use AI to mine copper. The funding pushes the startups valuation to $2.96 billion. (TechCrunch) Read this profile of the company from 2021 for more. (MIT Technology Review)We finally have the final rules for a tax credit designed to boost hydrogen in the US. The details matter here. (Heatmap) China just approved the worlds most expensive infrastructure project. The hydroelectric dam could produce enough power for 300 million people, triple the capacity of the current biggest dam. (Economist) In 1979, President Jimmy Carter installed 32 solar panels on the White Houses roof. Although they came down just a few years later, the panels lived multiple lives afterward. I really enjoyed reading about this small piece of Carters legacy in the wake of his passing. (New York Times) An open pit mine in California is the only one in the US mining and extracting rare earth metals including neodymium and praseodymium. This is a fascinating look at the site. (IEEE Spectrum) I wrote about efforts to recycle rare earth metals, and what it means for the long-term future of metal supply, in a feature story last year. (MIT Technology Review)

The first Democrat in New York history with a computer science background wants to revive some of the ideas behind the failed California AI safety bill, SB 1047, with a new version in his state that would regulate the most advanced AI models. Its called the RAISE Act, an acronym for Responsible AI Safety and Education. Assembly member Alex Bores hopes his bill, currently an unpublished draftsubject to changethat MIT Technology Review has seen, will address many of the concerns that blocked SB 1047 from passing into law. SB 1047 was, at first, thought to be a fairly modest bill that would pass without much fanfare. In fact, it flew through the California statehouse with huge margins and received significant public support. However, before it even landed on Governor Gavin Newsoms desk for signature in September, it sparked an intense national fight. Google, Meta, and OpenAI came out against the bill, alongside top congressional Democrats like Nancy Pelosi and Zoe Lofgren. Even Hollywood celebrities got involved, with Jane Fonda and Mark Hamill expressing support for the bill. Ultimately, Newsom vetoed SB 1047, effectively killing regulation of so-called frontier AI models not just in California but, with the lack of laws on the national level, anywhere in the US, where the most powerful systems are developed. Now Bores hopes to revive the battle. The main provisions in the RAISE Act include requiring AI companies to develop safety plans for the development and deployment of their models. The bill also provides protections for whistleblowers at AI companies. It forbids retaliation against an employee who shares information about an AI model in the belief that it may cause critical harm; such whistleblowers can report the information to the New York attorney general. One way the bill defines critical harm is the use of an AI model to create a chemical, biological, radiological, or nuclear weapon that results in the death or serious injury of 100 or more people. Alternatively, a critical harm could be a use of the AI model that results in 100 or more deaths or at least $1 billion in damages in an act with limited human oversight that if committed by a human would constitute a crime requiring intent, recklessness, or gross negligence. The safety plans would ensure that a company has cybersecurity protections in place to prevent unauthorized access to a model. The plan would also require testing of models to assess risks before and after training, as well as detailed descriptions of procedures to assess the risks associated with post-training modifications. For example, some current AI systems have safeguards that can be easily and cheaply removed by a malicious actor. A safety plan would have to address how the company plans to mitigate these actions. The safety plans would then be audited by a third party, like a nonprofit with technical expertise that currently tests AI models. And if violations are found, the bill empowers the attorney general of New York to issue fines and, if necessary, go to the courts to determine whether to halt unsafe development. A different flavour of bill The safety plans and external audits were elements of SB 1047, but Bores aims to differentiate his bill from the California one. We focused a lot on what the feedback was for 1047, he says. Parts of the criticism were in good faith and could make improvements. And so we've made a lot of changes. The RAISE Act diverges from SB 1047 in a few ways. For one, SB 1047 would have created the Board of Frontier Models, tasked with approving updates to the definitions and regulations around these AI models, but the proposed act would not create a new government body. The New York bill also doesnt create a public cloud computing cluster, which SB 1047 would have done. The cluster was intended to support projects to develop AI for the public good. The RAISE Act doesnt have SB 1047s requirement that companies be able to halt all operations of their model, a capability sometimes referred to as a kill switch. Some critics alleged that the shutdown provision of SB 1047 would harm open-source models, since developers cant shut down a model someone else may now possess (even though SB 1047 had an exemption for open-source models). The RAISE Act avoids the fight entirely. SB 1047 referred to an advanced persistent threat associated with bad actors trying to steal information during model training. The RAISE Act does away with that definition, sticking to addressing critical harms from covered models. Focusing on the wrong issues? Bores bill is very specific with its definitions in an effort to clearly delineate what this bill is and isnt about. The RAISE Act doesnt address some of the current risks from AI models, like bias, discrimination, and job displacement. Like SB 1047, it is very focused on catastrophic risks from frontier AI models. Some in the AI community believe this focus is misguided. Were broadly supportive of any efforts to hold large models accountable, says Kate Brennan, associate director of the AI Now Institute, which conducts AI policy research. But defining critical harms only in terms of the most catastrophic harms from the most advanced models overlooks the material risks that AI poses, whether its workers subject to surveillance mechanisms, prone to workplace injuries because of algorithmically managed speed rates, climate impacts of large-scale AI systems, data centers exerting massive pressure on local power grids, or data center construction sidestepping key environmental protections," she says. Bores has worked on other bills addressing current harms posed by AI systems, like discrimination and lack of transparency. That said, Bores is clear that this new bill is aimed at mitigating catastrophic risks from more advanced models. Were not talking about any model that exists right now, he says. We are talking about truly frontier models, those on the edge of what we can build and what we understand, and there is risk in that. The bill would cover only models that pass a certain threshold for how many computations their training required, typically measured in FLOPs (floating-point operations). In the bill, a covered model is one that requires more than 1026 FLOPs in its training and costs over $100 million. For reference, GPT-4 is estimated to have required 1025 FLOPs. This approach may draw scrutiny from industry forces. While we cant comment specifically on legislation that isnt public yet, we believe effective regulation should focus on specific applications rather than broad model categories, says a spokesperson at Hugging Face, a company that opposed SB 1047. Early days The bill is in its nascent stages, so its subject to many edits in the future, and no opposition has yet formed. There may already be lessons to be learned from the battle over SB 1047, however. Theres significant disagreement in the space, but I think debate around future legislation would benefit from more clarity around the severity, the likelihood, and the imminence of harms, says Scott Kohler, a scholar at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, who tracked the development of SB 1047. When asked about the idea of mandated safety plans for AI companies, assembly member Edward Ra, a Republican who hasn't yet seen a draft of the new bill yet, said: I dont have any general problem with the idea of doing that. We expect businesses to be good corporate citizens, but sometimes you do have to put some of that into writing. Ra and Bores co chair the New York Future Caucus, which aims to bring together lawmakers 45 and under to tackle pressing issues that affect future generations. Scott Wiener, a California state senator who sponsored SB 1047, is happy to see that his initial bill, even though it failed, is inspiring further legislation and discourse. The bill triggered a conversation about whether we should just trust the AI labs to make good decisions, which some will, but we know from past experience, some wont make good decisions, and thats why a level of basic regulation for incredibly powerful technology is important, he says. He has his own plans to reignite the fight: Were not done in California. There will be continued work in California, including for next year. Im optimistic that California is gonna be able to get some good things done. And some believe the RAISE Act will highlight a notable contradiction: Many of the industrys players insist that they want regulation, but when any regulation is proposed, they fight against it. SB 1047 became a referendum on whether AI should be regulated at all, says Brennan. There are a lot of things we saw with 1047 that we can expect to see replay in New York if this bill is introduced. We should be prepared to see a massive lobbying reaction that industry is going to bring to even the lightest-touch regulation. Wiener and Bores both wish to see regulation at a national level, but in the absence of such legislation, theyve taken the battle upon themselves. At first it may seem odd for states to take up such important reforms, but California houses the headquarters of the top AI companies, and New York, which has the third-largest state economy in the US, is home to offices for OpenAI and other AI companies. The two states may be well positioned to lead the conversation around regulation. There is uncertainty at the direction of federal policy with the transition upcoming and around the role of Congress, says Kohler. It is likely that states will continue to step up in this area. Wieners advice for New York legislators entering the arena of AI regulation? Buckle up and get ready.

Submitted by WA ContentsBDO Unibank Campus by Foster + Partners breaks ground in Manila, PhilippinesPhilippines Architecture News - Jan 09, 2025 - 12:00 html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40/loose.dtd"Foster + Partners' BDO Unibank Campus has broken ground on Manilas Makati Avenue, Philippines. Developed for BDO Unibank, the design scheme was conceived to meet the bank's present and future demands.The practice's design is particularly responsive to the humid tropical climate and draws inspiration from vernacular architecture, which differs from the city's conventional paradigm of air-conditioned high-rise office complexes.The project creates a single integrated campus out of five distinct urban plots, enhancing Manila. A brand-new triple-volume public area that is shielded from intense rain and direct sunlight is framed by two tall skyscrapers that barely touch the earth.In order to increase the public space and the standard of living in the city, the open ground floor includes a variety of artworks and lush vegetation."The new BDO campus offers a new model for the next generation of highly flexible and climatically responsive workplaces in the Philippines," said Luke Fox, Head of Studio, Foster + Partners."Our holistic approach encompasses every element of the design from the structural and environmental engineering to the landscaping and interiors allowing us to create something completely bespoke and driven by extensive environmental analysis," Fox added.An elevated reception that links the office tower and important podium areas, such as the business center, public museum, and restaurant, is accessible to employees and guests from the ground plane.One of the main venues for the bank to interact with its wide range of clients is the 3,000-square-meter meeting and event room. The bank's permanent collection of artwork is on display at a brand-new public museum, which also stages temporary exhibitions.Triple-story amenity spaces are situated at each subsequent setback, with massing stepping back at regular intervals. Generous outdoor patios on the amenities floors improve staff welfare and provide expansive views of the Makati skyline. In addition, an urban farm on the theater annex's roof serves as a venue for community events and supports the farm-to-table approach of the staff canteen.To identify which parts of the facades receive the most sun exposure, the design team has conducted a thorough solar analysis.The woven metal mesh infill screens, which draw inspiration from traditional weaving patterns, provide shade for these regions.The structure looks to be a softly lighting lantern at night thanks to hidden inner light fixtures that illuminate the facade."The structure of the buildings is intentionally placed on the outside of their envelopes to actively shade the faades, while achieving an efficient structural design in a seismic zone," said Roland Schnizer, Senior Partner, Foster + Partners."The exoskeletons create column free spaces internally and support external solar shading screens," Schnizer added.At each stage of the design process, the practice has thoroughly assessed the most energy and carbon-efficient solutions, incorporating whole lifecycle carbon calculations and embodied carbon into routine operations.A lightweight structural method improves performance in the Philippines' seismic setting while reducing the buildings' concrete content by almost 65,000 tons.Due to the more than 40 percent reduction in the buildings' operating energy, BDO Unibank is now able to pursue a Green Mark Super Low Energy certificationa first for the Philippines.Radiant cooling systems significantly lower energy requirements while enhancing tenant comfort and health, and more than 70 percent of potable water is recycled and used on-site. The plan will eventually reach Green Mark Net Zero Energy status thanks to the utilization of renewable energy sources.Foster + Partners, recently, designed Apple's new store in Malaysia, featuring a three-dimensional layered roof. In addition, the firm unveiled a post-earthquake revitalization masterplan for Hatay. Moreover, the studio unveiled design for Changfeng Mixed-Use Development in Shanghai, China.All images courtesy of Foster + Partners.> via Foster + Partners

Practice to work on public realm improvements aiming to improve pedestrian experience in the heart of the West EndLondons Regent Street in the heart of the West EndAllies & Morrison has won a 1.7m job to lead an ambitious and groundbreaking transformation of the heart of Londons West End.Westminster council and the Crown Estate have appointed the practice to rethink Regent Street, Haymarket and Piccadilly Circus following a competition launched last summer.The project aims to prioritise [the] pedestrian experience by introducing more nature and greening, preserving the areas heritage and improving accessibility.The brief also aspires to reimagine the vision of John Nash, who designed the streets in the early 19th century, to connect St Jamess Park with Regents Park.Discussions are currently underway with the Greater London Authority and Transport for London seeking to ensure the streets deliver wide ranging benefits following Sadiq Khans announcement last year of plans to pedestrianise Oxford Street.Allies & Morrison will now draw up a public realm design ahead of a series of public engagement exercises aiming to shape the design which will be held over the course of this year.The council and Crown Estate have also set up an advisory panel consisting of local resident groups, landowners, developers, transport campaign groups and people with a range of protected characteristics.Daniel Elsea, Allies & Morrison partner and the firms director of landscape architecture Eric Hallquist said: As a practice that has always been engaged with the public realm and fascinated by the spaces between buildings, we are honoured to kick off 2025 with this new commission.We have assembled a creative coalition of designers, makers and doers, from the worlds of sustainability to contemporary art, to work with us, Westminster and The Crown Estate. Together, well help craft the future of the landmark destinations of Regent Street, Picadilly Circus and Haymarket to be enjoyed by everyone for decades to come.In September Khan said he wanted to revive a 150m plan to ban traffic on a 1.1km stretch of Oxford Street between Oxford Circus and Marble Arch.The London mayors previous attempt to transform the street into a pedestrianised public space was blocked by Westminster council in 2018 due to concerns over the need to reroute traffic into quieter surrounding streets.He is proposing the creation of a Mayoral Development Corporation which will have greater planning powers, although this will require a statutory period of consultation expected to take around two years.

Unit approvals must increase by over 150% if government is to meet its 370,000-home annual targetData from the Home Builders Federation (HBF) has revealed the number of sites green-lit for development in the third quarter of 2024 was the lowest total since 2006.Source: HBFGraph showing number of project and unit approvals from Q1 2006 to Q3 2024The representative bodys latest Housing Pipeline Report showed a 10% decline in site approvals during the months July to September from the previous quarter, with 2,260 permissions granted.The rolling annual total of 10,180 site approvals also represents a record low, with housing project figures falling since the first quarter of 2018.Meanwhile, unit approvals are similarly going downhill. Despite a 2% increase in dwellings approved during the third quarter to 57,356, this figure is still 40% below the peak of 107,222 in the first quarter of 2021.The rolling annual total of 240,661 units saw a 1% rise from the second quarter 2024 but remains 6% lower than the same period in 2023.To meet the governments target of building 370,000 homes annually, approvals must increase by over 150%, according to the report.Regionally, some areas saw a more pronounced quarterly decrease in the number of homes being approved. The North East saw a 61% decline, while Yorkshire and the Humber approvals dropped by 49% and the West Midlands by 55%.London saw a slight increase in yearly approvals, achieving permission for 44,000 residences, which is still 66% of peak levels.Meanwhile, the sharpest decrease in the number of green-lit projects over the past 12 months were in the North West (-19%) and Yorkshire and the Humber (-18%).> Also read:Pennycook convinced 1.5 million homes are deliverable but wont commit to annual targetsNeil Jefferson, chief executive of the HBF said: The continued decline in planning approvals is deeply concerning and underlines the scale of the challenge we face in addressing the countrys housing crisis.We are seeing significant regional variation, with some areas experiencing severe drops in approvals, while others, like London, are still well below previous levels. This discrepancy highlights the need for targeted interventions that not only speed up planning processes but also provide clear support for both developers and homebuyers.The lack of affordable housing is impacting communities across the country, and without a stable demand for new homes, the industry lacks the confidence to invest in building the homes that are desperately needed.Increasing housing will require going beyond planning reform and addressing broader issues such as financing for homebuyers and a lack of providers in the market to take on the affordable housing developers build.The Housing Pipeline Report contained figures from construction data provider Glenigan.The report comes after the latestS&P Global UK Construction Purchasing Managers Index showed residential workregistered an overall decline in output during December with a score of 47.6, meaning the activity in the sector has now decreased for three consecutive months and the latest reduction was the fastest since June 2024.The monthly Halifax House Price Index published today showed prices dipped by 0.2% month on month on average in December following five months in a row of rises.> Also read:The new NPPF will help at the margins but does little to reform our planning system

According to the university, the Lyth building has been shut for investigations into possible defects and associated infrastructure work.According to local news provider Nottinghamshire Live, the building closed last spring after wet rot was discovered in its structural timber.The 11.5 million building at Brackenhurst the university's rural Southwell-based campus was completed in 2020 and was named RIBA East Midlands Building of the Year in 2022.AdvertisementIt officially opened in January 2023, serving as the new home of the universitys School of Animal, Rural and Environment Sciences, with research labs, teaching rooms, and a 200-capacity lecture theatre.Regarding the alleged defects, the buildings main contractor Clegg Construction confirmed to the AJ: There is an ongoing investigation that is being dealt with by PI Insurers.In September, NTU submitted a planning application for a temporary portacabin on the Brackenhurst Campus, which it said would provide alternative teaching and dining facilities while the Lyth building remains closed for essential improvement works.A cover letter submitted by planning consultant P&DG on behalf of NTU said the proposal would support the ongoing operation of the university, temporarily replacing the refectory in the Lyth Building, while it undergoes essential improvement works.The letter added: The Lyth Building is required to be vacant during the duration of the works, the timescales of which are not fully known at this time.AdvertisementThe planning application, which has yet to be ruled on by Newark & Sherwood Council, requires a temporary consent of up to five years for the portacabin.The temporary building would sit in the footprint of a now-demolished building on the campus, the Medlar building.An NTU spokesperson confirmed that the Lyth building has been temporarily closed for investigations into possible defects and associated infrastructure work.They added: Alternative, high-quality teaching and ancillary space has already been put in place to support our students.When the project won East Midlands Building of the Year in 2022, the RIBA jury said: The Lyth sits elegantly into its context of listed buildings and designed landscapes, while giving a centre and focus to the burgeoning campus of NTU. It has raised the bar for future development.Evans Vettori has been contacted for comment.

The heritage preservation charity dropped a competition-winning Allies and Morrison proposal to rebuild and restore Clandon Park following a major U-turn in 2022, opting instead for a pared-back approach which would preserve its fire-damaged shell.At the time, a spokesperson said the trust had moved away from the original designs through a process of detailed feasibility with our design team. Allies and Morrison continues to lead on the design with conservation design support from Purcell.But submission of a planning application for the new design in November has incensed traditionalists, with architect Francis Terry accusing the National Trust of an act of barbarism against the Grade I-listed building, which is near Guildford in Surrey.AdvertisementTerry said the scheme would leave Clandons interior as a fire-damaged ruin with walkways, a lift shaft and a myriad of unsympathetic Modernist additions.In a statement, Terry added: This is an act of barbarism. This house should be restored to what it was, including the famous plasterwork, on which Clandons reputation as a great Georgian house rests. Source:NH53 (creative commons)The burnt-out shell of Clandon Park House, Surrey, after an accidental fire in 2015Following a devastating fire at Clandon in 2015, then-National Trust director Helen Ghosh said the 18th-century stately home had been reduced to essentially a shell.The Clandon redesign saga has wormed its way to the forefront of a major dispute within the National Trust in recent months, after activists within the organisation accused it of a tragic dereliction of duty by refusing to restore the mansion.The protestors known as the Restore Trust argue that the National Trust is failing to preserve its historic buildings in favour of modish, divisive ideologies.AdvertisementIn a design and access (D&A) statement, Allies and Morrison says its latest proposal, which include events space and walkways allowing views of Clandons scorched interiors, celebrates the beauty of the building that survived. Source:Allies and Morrison (taken from planning documents)Allies and Morrisons latest plans (Nov 2024) for Clandon Park House in Surrey walkways for displays and viewingThe National Trust insists the sensitive contemporary design of the light-touch proposals will bring Clandon Park back to life as a welcoming, engaging and fully functional house' and create an exciting new chapter in [the buildings] history.A spokesperson said the designs reflect in-depth conversations with heritage bodies, architectural specialists, community organisations and more than 75,000 visitors t0 Clandon since the fire. It added that public feedback had been overwhelmingly positive.The trust added: Our vision is for a house that showcases the importance and beauty of what survived the fire and celebrates the stories of the many people who made and crafted it over centuries.But Terry insists the faithful rebuilding of the mansion would give employment to traditional tradespeople and save the building from being lost, perhaps forever.The Classical architect dismissed as 'exaggerated fears that a full restoration of Clandon would lack the original build quality. Source:Jim Linwood creative commonsClandon Park House, Surrey, before the 2015 fire which badly damaged itIn its D&A, Allies and Morrison has said its pared-back proposal celebrates the beauty of the building that survived, displaying the visually dramatic and historically intriguing fire-damaged interiors while allowing visitors to learn the story of how it was designed, built and crafted over the centuries.The proposed scheme would renew the house as a fully functioning building, it said, with a new roof, windows, heating and structural repairs to conserve the surviving house, including its Speakers Parlour. Furniture and artworks would be returned to the house to form new displays.Interior walkways and a new public roof terrace will enable new ways of seeing and encountering the house that actively reveal its historic and architectural significance and enhance its visual drama, the practice added.Allies and Morrison was appointed in 2017 to lead the rebuild, following a star-studded contest run by Malcolm Reading Consultants. The top five AJ100 practice selected specialist Purcell to offer conservation design support.The first phase of construction works, repairing exterior walls and stonework, is expected to cost up to 20 million.Clandon Park was built in the 1720s by Venetian architect Giacomo Leoni and left to the National Trust in 1956.

If you lucked out and got a new phone, handheld console or tablet over the holidays, then you might suddenly be worried keeping your new gadget powered when out and about. Thankfully, you don't have to spend a lot to get a beefy power bank to take on the go. Thanks to a deal on Amazon, you can currently get this powerful Ugreen 20,000-mAh power bank for just $56 if you use the coupon on the page for 30% off. See at AmazonThis immense power bank has a huge capacity -- enough to charge most phones multiple times over -- along with a total of 100-watt delivery as well. It has two USB-C ports and a USB-A port, so you can charge three devices at once, and one of those USB-C ports is rated for 65-watt fast charging meaning it can power larger devices like laptops. Hey, did you know? CNET Deals texts are free, easy and save you money.A convenient display on the side lets you quickly see how much power this battery has left meaning you're less likely to be left in the lurch when it runs out. Your $56 spend also gets you a USB-C cable which can be used to plug in one of your devices to recharge or top up the power bank itself. Top deals available today, according to CNET's shopping experts Curated discounts worth shopping while they last Apple AirTag, 4-pack: $70 (save $29)Costco 1-year Gold Star membership + $20 gift card: $65 (save $20)Anker 20-watt USB-C charger, 2-pack: $12 (save $7)Levoit LVAC-200 cordless vacuum: $160 (save $40)Peloton Bike: $1,145 (save $300) Why this deal mattersA good power bank is a genuine life-changer. It's such a small thing to be able to boost your battery charge while on the go, and whether you're travelling for work, hiking or just like being outside, keeping your devices topped up just makes sense. So, a chance to save 30% on one of this capacity is worth taking.

As a with a medium-sized yard, I've been in the market for a robot mower. I've also been waiting for advances in the category hit to pile up as they often do in the early stages of a new (ish) home tech category before I splurge. That's to ensure I'm getting the best possible value for the many dollars I'll have to spend.A new robot launched at CES 2025, looks to be as proficient at cutting and navigating as the best, but has two special features that sets it apart from any other. The Lymow One is the first robot mower that can mulch. It also has tracked treads -- think tank wheels -- to navigate uneven terrain and even roll straight over certain obstacles such as small steps.Read more: Wildest CES 2025 robots that made us go 'huh'!I deplore long and arduous outdoor tasks such as raking and fertilizing, and this new mower will mitigate or possibly eliminate both in one fell swoop. Eye-Popping Home Tech Gadgets We're Loving From CES 2025 So Far See all photos The Lymow One ($2,999), which was revealed at the huge tech trade show in Las Vegas, has dual mulching blades -- the first ever for a robomower -- and is able macerate fallen leaves, branches and tree fruit and transform them into instant lawn fuel. That, coupled with the most comprehensive satellite navigation system racked treads that are able to traverse large and complex yards is enough to have me ordering one in time for summer.A Lymow rep told CNET that the mulching blades, a shift from the previous lateral scissor blades, are strong enough to cut grass and mulch debris like leaves, fruit, pine cones and small branches in wet or dry conditions. The same high-speed spinning mulching blades coupled with a centrifugal fan ensure fine clipping distribution without any clumping, a frequent nuisance for robomowers and push mowers alike. Beyond its mulching blades, the Lymow One relies on superior traction, dubbed the Savage Traverse System, along with tank-like wheels to glide over rough, uneven terrain. According to the brand rep, the One can clear obstacles up to 2 inches in height, traverse slopes of up to 45 degrees and even climb low stairs. It also works fast, covering up to 1.73 acres in a single day. Lymow One's tank-like wheels allow it to handle even the rockiest terrain. LymowThe One features boundary-wire-free navigation, meaning it'll find its way around your yard without a need for manual boundaries, and LySee Navigation combines with RTK satellite positioning and VSLAM for precise area mapping.According to the company, the latest Lymow robot mower has the most advanced obstacle recognition and avoidance in class for hours of unobstructed mowing: "Lymow is faster, cuts finer and is smarter than any current robotic mowers with the ability to distinguish and adapt its behavior when encountering various options."The Lymow One is available now for preorder for $2,999. Orders are set to be delivered in April, just in time for grass-cutting season.For more coverage of CES 2025, check out some of the new CES products you can actually purchase right now, or scroll through the most ridiculous and bizarre CES gadgets of this century. Watch this: I Made a Robot Vacuum Pick Up My Socks 02:50

Overwhelmed by the endless price hikes on your favorite streaming platforms? Don't forget that free TV serviceslike Fawesome and Tubi have new movies and classic films premiering every month. This January, there are hundreds of new titles arriving across all of these streaming sites at no cost to you, including Oscar winners, cult classics and brand-new originals.On Tubi, you can catch loads of classics like Taxi Driver and Carrie, comedies like Barb and Star Go To Vista Del Mar and Something's Gotta Give plus several new original productions, including the action-packed (and excellently titled) Don't Mess With Grandma, the Peter Dinklage-led Western The Thicket and A Kill For A Kill, a Strangers On A Train-style psychological thriller. Over on Fawesome, they're loading up on indie dramas this month; be sure to catch A Single Man starring Colin Firth who was nominated for an Oscar for his role, as well as Carol, the 1950s period drama starring Cate Blanchett. All these, plus tons of other great new arrivals on Pluto TV, Roku and more are all headed your way this month; here's a look at some of the best free movies streaming this January.Read more: Best Free TV Streaming Services: Tubi, Pluto TV, Freevee and MoreTubiSee at Tubi Thicket Alberta Productions Inc./The Thicket US Inc. The Thicket (Jan. 10) The Tubi original Western The Thicket stars Peter Dinklage as a bounty hunter hired to find the sister of a man named Jack (Levon Hawke) after she was abducted by bank robbers. Despite's Jack's efforts to pull together a gang of allies to help locate the young woman, the kidnappers prove to be much more dangerous and deadly than expected. The cast also includes Juliette Lewis, Metallica frontman James Hetfield, Leslie Grace and Esm Creed-Miles. Tubi Don't Mess With Grandma (Jan. 24) Tubi's new original action comedy Don't Mess With Grandma is a classic take on the inept hero story. When a drunk Army Ranger named JT (Michael Jai White) visits his sweet and completely oblivious grandmother at her remote cabin, he's forced to take action when a group of armed robbers try to break in. As JT fends off the criminals, his Grandma remains wrapped up in her romance novel, blissfully unaware of all the vigilante justice being served around her. The film (which was previously known as Sunset Superman on the festival circuit) premieres on Jan. 24. Tubi A Kill For A Kill (Jan. 17) Tubi's catalog of original thrillers now includes A Kill For A Kill, a movie about a deceptive motivational speaker who gets caught up in a dangerous and deadly game when a fan suggests they kill each other's spouses. The film premieres on Jan. 17. Also on Tubi in January:Rye LaneThe Unbearable Weight of Massive TalentBarb And Star Go To Vista Del MarFargoControl Room (Jan. 22)Deepwater Horizon (Jan. 2)Taxi DiverCarrie (1976)Something's Gotta Give (2003)The Twilight SagaPrey (2022)2001: A Space OdysseyHotel MumbaiFawesomeSee at FawesomeBlue ValentineThe Bank JobDestroyerThe LimeyA Single ManPhilomenaCarol (Jan. 18)Letters to JulietRokuSee at RokuPlaying For KeepsViceroy's HouseA StrikeDragon BladeAll I See Is YouThe MisfitsThe Space Between UsTracersSpinning ManPluto TVSee at Pluto TVFatal AttractionBoundTrading PlacesLimitlessEscape From AlcatrazThe Golden ChildFace/OffFootlooseSaturday Night FeverMommie Dearest