Sewer gas destructor lamp
This patented sewer gas lamp, referred to as the sewer gas destructor lamp or sometime affectionately known as the fart lamp was designed by the Birmingham inventor Joseph Webb in the 1800s. It was designed to both light the street and burn off dangerous gases from the sewers.
A build up of methane gas from the new 1860's subterranean sewers designed by Sir Joseph Basaljet was a real threat, with the possibility of leading to underground explosions, the lamp provided the means of out let with out the stench and the bonus of lighting the streets. The Great Stink of 1858, is well recorded and the design in part helped mitigate the issue by creating a dome below the lamp to collect the gas, which had a hollow tube above that slowly fed the lamp with gas, the heat of which create the through flow to draw more gas into the lamp.
Only one such lamp now exists in London and continues to be part of the original the sewer system that ran through the embankment and into a network beneath the streets. The lamp is located just off the Strand in London and continues to function using the biogas which is generated from the sewer system.
Featured articles and news
UKCW London to tackle sector’s most pressing issues
AI and skills development, ecology and the environment, policy and planning and more.
Managing building safety risks
Across an existing residential portfolio; a client's perspective.
ECA support for Gate Safe’s Safe School Gates Campaign.
Core construction skills explained
Preparing for a career in construction.
Retrofitting for resilience with the Leicester Resilience Hub
Community-serving facilities, enhanced as support and essential services for climate-related disruptions.
Some of the articles relating to water, here to browse. Any missing?
Recognisable Gothic characters, designed to dramatically spout water away from buildings.
A case study and a warning to would-be developers
Creating four dwellings... after half a century of doing this job, why, oh why, is it so difficult?
Reform of the fire engineering profession
Fire Engineers Advisory Panel: Authoritative Statement, reactions and next steps.
Restoration and renewal of the Palace of Westminster
A complex project of cultural significance from full decant to EMI, opportunities and a potential a way forward.
Apprenticeships and the responsibility we share
Perspectives from the CIOB President as National Apprentice Week comes to a close.
The first line of defence against rain, wind and snow.
Building Safety recap January, 2026
What we missed at the end of last year, and at the start of this...
National Apprenticeship Week 2026, 9-15 Feb
Shining a light on the positive impacts for businesses, their apprentices and the wider economy alike.
Applications and benefits of acoustic flooring
From commercial to retail.
From solid to sprung and ribbed to raised.
Strengthening industry collaboration in Hong Kong
Hong Kong Institute of Construction and The Chartered Institute of Building sign Memorandum of Understanding.
A detailed description from the experts at Cornish Lime.