Its most important material was not those of which it was ostensibly made, but coal: coal fired the kilns that made the bricks and the lime for the mortar; it helped make the glass for the large windows; it smelted and melted the iron for the railings and nails. Electricity could free building interiors from their dependence on natural light, and eventually, air conditioning would equalise climate around the world. All of which, we now know, came with a huge price: the potential devastation of the planet through climate change. I’m baffled by the book’s title, which fails to encapsulate its great idea of explaining buildings through energy. It’s sketchy here, seeing hope mostly in the admirable but tiny Cork House, recently built in the town of Eton.

Source: The Guardian May 24, 2021 07:52 UTC