Architecture for public good

This week I speak to Jamie Hossain , Senior Investment Director at Amber Infrastructure and Lead Portfolio Manager at International Public Partnerships Ltd (INPP) — fresh from leading Amber’s 7.6% investment in Sizewell C , one of the most significant energy projects in a generation. Have a listen here - or find it wherever you get your podcasts — search “The Infrastructure Podcast” on Spotify, Apple or Google. With Sizewell C’s Final Investment Decision now secured, the project marks a major moment for the UK’s net zero transition — a £38 billion twin to Hinkley Point C that will deliver reliable, low-carbon electricity for six million homes. For the first time, the British public will be co-owners of a nuclear power station, alongside EDF , Centrica , La Caisse and Amber Infrastructure. Around 70% of construction spend will flow to UK businesses, supporting tens of thousands of jobs and, all going well, saving the electricity system £2 billion a year. It’s a fascinating look at how institutional investors are shaping the future of UK infrastructure — and why projects like Sizewell C signal a new era for long-term, responsible investment.

In the latest episode of The Infrastructure Podcast , I speak with Peter Jones PhD CEng FICE , Operations Director at Skanska and Visiting Professor at Loughborough University , about the new Improving Construction Productivity report from the Construction Productivity Taskforce — and why tackling unproductive variability could be the single biggest opportunity to transform how we build. It’s here: - or find it wherever you get your podcasts — search “The Infrastructure Podcast” on Spotify , Apple or Google. From digital tools and design for productivity to better data, training, and supply chain collaboration, this report moves beyond theory — showing how practical, proven interventions are already driving measurable gains on real projects. Have a listen – let me know what you think.

In this week’s episode of The Infrastructure Podcast we dive into one of the most promising technologies in the UK’s net zero transition: Bioenergy with Carbon Capture and Storage (BECCS). What’s that then? Well listen in to my conversation with Alex Young , head of development at Evero Energy as we talk about plans to transform the Ince bioenergy plant in Cheshire. It’s here - or find it wherever you get your podcasts — search “The Infrastructure Podcast” on Spotify, Apple or Google. In short, BECCS combines renewable power generation with the permanent removal of CO₂ — turning a challenge into an opportunity. Energy firm Evero is at the heart of this story is, the low-carbon energy-from-wastewood company which is transforming its Ince Biomass Plant into the UK’s first large-scale BECCS facility — InBECCS. · Capturing 217,000 tonnes of CO₂ annually · Generating clean electricity for 100,000+ homes · Creating skilled green jobs while diverting waste wood from landfill It’s a fascinating conversation as we unpack the promise, pitfalls and potential of BECCS, and ask: How will the project be delivered; what role will InBECCS play in Britain’s carbon removal leadership; and how might it connect with the UK’s growing hydrogen economy?

Rethinking steel: From high-cost high-carbon industrial burden to a become the UK’s net zero catalyst for social and economic growth. In the latest episode of The Infrastructure Podcast , I speak to Ben Holmes , Head of Sustainability at Elliott Wood , about the challenge and opportunity facing UK steel production and how the approach on GPE 's 30 Duke Street project in London – the UK’s largest steel reuse project – can shift thinking. Listen in as Ben talks us through his five provocative “what if” scenarios here - or find it wherever you get your podcasts — search “The Infrastructure Podcast” on Spotify, Apple or Google. 🔹 What if… we thought generationally, not electorally: established a Steel Futures Fund with cross-party commitment, protected by statute? 🔹 What if… we created centres of excellence beyond production : if steel communities became Steel Innovation Districts? 🔹 What if… we made green steel the standard, not the exception? 🔹 What if… we connected steel to communities in new ways: if each steel facility had a Community Steel Trust with local ownership stakes? 🔹 What if… former steelworks became vibrant mixed-use districts? Steel is foundational to our modern world — yet it remains one of the most carbon-intensive materials we produce. With British Steel’s public sector rescue, we face a once-in-a-generation opportunity to reimagine how we make, use, and value steel in the UK. Have a listen and let me know what you think?

Private infrastructure investment was once the preserve of pension funds and specialist investors; today it has moved to the centre of global capital markets with sovereign wealth funds, institutional investors, private equity houses, and even retail capital all piling in. Why? Well listen to my latest episode of The Infrastructure Podcast with Charlotte Madden , partner and co-head of infrastructure at global law firm Clifford Chance to hear what ius driving her deals - it's here- or find it wherever you get your podcasts — search “The Infrastructure Podcast” on Spotify, Apple or Google. Infrastructure offers the promise of long-term, stable returns — while underpinning the physical and digital systems our economies depend upon. And in the UK, the stakes are particularly high. With an ambitious £725 billion infrastructure pipeline, more than half of which relies on private investment, questions remain: · How do we balance private capital with public service delivery? · What are the risks and opportunities for investors? · And how do we make sure these projects deliver real value for society? Tune in as we unpack the profound shifts reshaping infrastructure investment — and why they matter for all of us.

Cement is the backbone of UK infrastructure – but do we actually have the cement we need? In the latest episode of The Infrastructure Podcast , I speak with Diana Casey , Executive Director for Cement, Energy & Climate at the Mineral Products Association — the voice of UK cement producers. Listen in here - or find it wherever you get your podcasts — search “The Infrastructure Podcast” on Spotify, Apple or Google. The reality is that without cement, the UK’s roads, railways, schools, hospitals, bridges, and homes would quite literally crumble. Yet as the Labour government drives forward with 1.5 million homes in 5 years and a £725bn infrastructure pipeline, there’s a pressing question… In this episode I chat to Diana Casey as we explore: 🔹 Why domestic manufacturing is becoming uncompetitive 🔹 The risks of relying on imports in a volatile global market 🔹 What a watertight Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism could deliver 🔹 How carbon capture and a clearer industrial strategy can secure supply 🔹 Why this is as much about jobs, security and resilience as it is about decarbonisation This is a conversation about the material that quietly underpins every major infrastructure ambition — and what’s at stake if we get it wrong.

HS2 – what went wrong? The Infrastructure Podcast is back after the summer break — and we’re starting with a big one as I speak to author Sally Gimson about her new book Off the Rail – the inside story of HS2 (High Speed Two) Ltd . Listen in here or find it wherever you get your podcasts — search “The Infrastructure Podcast” on Spotify, Apple or Google. HS2 has been called many things: for some it's infrastructure’s poster child for delay and cost overrun; to others it's a truly game-changing investment to transform UK connectivity, Certainly few projects in British history have generated such fierce debate — or exposed so much about our ability (or inability) to deliver major infrastructure. From the spiralling costs and shifting political priorities to the sheer engineering complexity, HS2 has been a lightning rod for wider questions - all of which I tackle with Sally: · Was it doomed from day one? · Was it a bold vision stifled by politics? · Is the UK capable of delivering such bold and ambitious projects? Sally has spent years unpicking the web of decisions, personalities, and compromises that shaped the project — and what her excellent new book uncovers says as much about our national approach to infrastructure as it does about a single railway. Have a listen and let me know what you think!

Infrastructure project commissioning is not testing. And according to Paul Turner , my guest on this week’s episode, failure to grasp this concept too often sees major projects treat commissioning as a last-minute hurdle to clear before opening day rather than the fundamental process of preparing an asset from day one to operate as intended. Listen in here - or find it wherever you get your podcasts — search “The Infrastructure Podcast” on Spotify, Apple or Google. Paul is Chief Executive of the Institute of Commissioning & Assurance (ICxA). He explains that, in reality, commissioning is the vital process required at the start of a project - not the end. And when projects go wrong, the results can be disastrous – from delayed openings and cost overruns to failures that undermine public trust – and usually linked directoy to poor commissioning at the start. When we spoke last year in episode 82, Paul had just launched what was then the Industrial Commissioning Association. In just twelve months, the organisation has: ✅ Grown to over 4,300 members across 27 local chapters ✅ Formed a Board of Directors and Advisory Council ✅ Rebranded as ICxA to reflect its broader global mission ✅ Launched two new global standards – one on commissioning, one on outcome assurance ✅ Introduced a certification framework and career pathway for the next generation of project leaders We dig into what these developments mean for infrastructure and industrial projects worldwide, why commissioning needs to be treated with the same seriousness as design and construction, and how ICxA’s standards can help transform outcomes across the sector. Enjoy the episode.

Nuclear waste: never out of mind? Well in the latest episode of The Infrastructure Podcast we dig into nuclear waste management, one of the most complex, long-term, and often misunderstood challenges in the UK’s energy future. And I’m joined by the man who knows - Mike Pigott , Director of Waste Operations and Sites at Nuclear Waste Services is a leader with decades of experience and a deep operational, regulatory and international experience across the full lifecycle of the nuclear industry. 👉 Listen in here - or find it wherever you get your podcasts — search “The Infrastructure Podcast” on Spotify, Apple or Google. Because nuclear power is making a comeback as a key pillar of the UK’s low-carbon energy strategy — backed by tens of billions in new public investment. The question remains: what do we do with the waste it leaves behind? At the centre of this national challenge is Nuclear Waste Services, tasked with safely managing everything from today’s operational low-level waste to the deeply complex legacy materials from decades of civil and defence-related activity. From managing the UK’s Low Level Waste Repository, where more than 750,000 cubic metres of radioactive material has already been safely disposed of, to planning the UK’s future approach to long-term disposal and public engagement, Mike offers an expert perspective on the infrastructure, innovation, and trust needed to get it right. So if you want to understand where the UK really stands on managing its nuclear legacy — and what comes next — this episode is a must-listen.