Seminar to save Britain’s unique and irreplaceable heritage

Architects, engineers, developers and those with a passion for historic buildings are invited to attend the Heritage Buildings seminar at the Royal Geographical Society, Kensington, London on Thursday 9th November (9.00 to 16.00).

Organised by Exova BM TRADA, in partnership with environmental consultants RSK, the Heritage Buildings seminar is a free, CPD certified one-day event which shines a spotlight on the care and craftmanship needed to preserve Britain’s heritage buildings for future generations.

With emphasis on case studies and examples of excellence delivered by a team that includes geomaterials scientists, conservators, geophysicists, structural engineers and timber technical consultants, this special event brings together leading lights in structural assessment, renovation, fire and conservation.

According to a recent report by RICS, Britain’s beloved historic buildings are at risk, due to a restoration skills crisis that threatens the future of some of our best-known heritage buildings.

A YouGov survey found that while 9 in 10 Britons identify historic buildings as important symbols of national heritage, the majority don’t understand the specialist skills needed to preserve them, at a time when the entire construction industry is facing a skills shortage.

Philip O’Leary, Head of Timber Consultancy at Exova BM TRADA, says: “Britain’s historic buildings are unique and irreplaceable monuments to our history, yet many of them lie dormant, waiting for a new lease of life in the 21st century.

“While they can present serious conservation challenges, they can also be a focal point for regeneration in our urban environment. However, construction professionals need to be aware that working with heritage buildings can challenge the development process.”

TRADA’s Rupert Scott says: “It is vital that our cherished historic buildings don’t fall into disrepair. The Heritage Buildings seminar is for anyone looking to overcome conservation and preservation challenges, and will hopefully inspire those working in the construction industry to master and maintain the skills needed to preserve Britain’s national treasures.”

For more details of the Heritage Buildings seminar and to book a ticket, click here.

Harmondsworth Great Barn, one of the nation's most important architectural treasures, is hailed as a ‘masterpiece of carpentry’ by English Heritage. The Grade 1-listed building has undergone a meticulous programme of conservation and repair by Ptolemy Dean Architects. You can read our full case study here.

Event Programme

Welcome

Dr Alan Ryder, CEO, RSK

Application of Ground Penetrating Radar and other non-intrusive methods in the investigation of historic buildings and sites

Matt Stringfellow, Principal Geophysicist, RSK Environment

Time, Materials and Materiality

Roger Bloomfield, Architect

Structural assessment of historic buildings

Alasdair Beal, Principal Associate, Thomasons Consulting Structural Engineers

Assessing the condition and strength of structural timber in historic buildings

Philip O’Leary, Head of Timber Consultancy, Exova BM TRADA

The role of petrographic analysis in assessing historic buildings

Jennifer Murgatroyd, Geomaterials Scientist, RSK Environment

The role of fire assessments and implementation of fire risk mitigation strategies in heritage buildings

Neil Woods, Risk Assessment Manager, Exova Warringtonfire

Regenerating historic buildings: the contractor’s experience

Charles Anelay, Chairman and Special Projects Director, William Anelay Ltd

Q & A session

Closing remarks

Jon Osborn, Technical Director, Exova BM TRADA