Editorial Alex Smith, Editor email: asmith@cibsejournal.com Twitter: @alexsmith68 Some of the most distinguished features of the theatre are defined by its environmental strategy The fab four R eading media coverage of the 2014 RIBA Stirling Prize winner the new Liverpool Everyman Theatre you would hardly know that a building services engineer had any involvement at all. Architect Haworth Tompkins has been rightfully praised for, among other things, the selection of materials and finishes and retention of the spirit of the original theatre, but there is barely a reference to one of the buildings major achievements the passive-led services strategy. In fact, the judges praised its naturally ventilated auditoria and concrete labyrinths to supply and expel air and the most distinguishing features of the theatre are defined by the services. The 105 panels on the faade, showing life-size images of native Liverpudlians, provide essential shading to the interior, while four large chimneys dubbed John, Paul, George and Ringo are fundamental to the operation of the natural ventilation system. This worked so well in the summer that the operator never once had to use air conditioning to cool theatregoers in the auditorium. Our feature explains how the engineering excellence of Waterman Building Services helped shape the theatres design. Its too early to say whether 20 Fenchurch Street aka the Walkie Talkie will win any design awards, but it has already garnered thousands of column inches because of its controversial form and faade. Last year Julie Futcher and Gerald Mills used thermal modelling to reveal the environmental impact of new towers in the City. Such was the response to the article that Futcher started conducting guided walks through the Square Mile, which we describe here. Owners of property estates in London, and beyond, will now be considering their response to the Energy Savings Opportunity Scheme (ESOS), which requires all organisations of a certain size to conduct an energy audit. We followed ESOS Lead Assessor Sebastian Gray on an audit of a Marriott Hotel to find out what kind of energy-saving opportunities will be available to clients. Gray is accredited through CIBSE and there are now set to be 300 CIBSE ESOS assessors by April, making the Institution one of the leading providers on the scheme. A new category for building operation at the Building Performance Awards recognises the importance of facilities management in minimising carbon. Good luck to those shortlisted for the awards, which will be preceded by an address by top architect Ken Shuttleworth.