IHBC Context 144
Context, the Institute of Historic Building Conservation's membership journal and key heritage sector resource offers contents that span the full spectrum of practices and principles, as well as sector updates: reports, reviews, events, briefings and more.
The May 2016 edition is available to read online.
IHBC Director Seán O’Reilly said: ‘We’ll put this issue online immediately, to help extend conservation awareness as far as possible. That said, the most accessible way learn to about conservation principles, practice and thinking is to explore this issue in hard copy, as an IHBC member.’
‘From now on we’ll also be using social media posts to help people focus on CPD and accreditation issues too, so there’s an easier route to the skills covering our Areas of Competence. Already we give pointers like these in our events postings, but now we are extending this service to Context.’
Context144 includes:
- More about local listing, with PlaceCheck, or WHS fires… or pub values.
- Periodically: Distilled heritage periodicals from Bob Kindred IHBC and 2013 Student Awardee Lisa McIntyre on medieval bishops’ palaces in the JAC.
- Aimée Felton, IHBC’s first Associate Member, on Restoring Kew’s Temperate House.
- Scaffolding – ups and downs: Interventions, covering technology competences and more
- HGV vibrations – time for re-assessment, says Champion.
- Conservation in the round with high points of high Streets: ‘Putting shops to viable uses consistent with their conservation should seek to encourage maximum use of the building for modern purposes, while also maximising the heritage value.’
- Richard Bate on conservation services and officers: ‘The paltry savings on modest salaries seems wholly misplaced in relation to the potential benefits of retaining and augmenting conservation staff.
IHBC NewsBlog
COVID-19: Advice and Updates collated from the Heritage Sector
Organisations with conservation links have been collating resources on COVID-19 impacts, including Built Environment Forum Scotland (BEFS), Historic Environment Forum, The Heritage Alliance (THA), and Historic England, on cleaning surfaces.
Councils considering ‘executive powers’ as measures to avoid planning gridlock
Councils are reported to be considering taking up rarely-used executive powers to keep the planning and development system moving during the coronavirus pandemic.
Historic England provides updated flood recovery advice
Historic England's 'After a Flood' provides timely advice on how to dry walls properly and avoid further damage to the building fabric.
Conservation of Timber Buildings: an example of evolving conservation techniques
Context Issue 162 offers a peek into an archive of timber conservation history through the records of the practice of FWB and Mary Charles Chartered Architects.
Call for VAT rates for Refurbishment to be Reduced
To meet the government’s target of being carbon neutral by 2050, we must recycle, reuse and responsibly adapt our existing historic buildings, according to this year’s Heritage Counts report, so Historic England and partners are calling for a reduction in VAT rates to incentivise this more sustainable option.
Grade II Edwardian swimming baths in Birmingham restored
Donald Insall Associates, with the help of Historic England, has completed restoration work of Moseley Road Baths, being converted for use as an arts and culture venue.
IHBC Marsh Award Nominations – Closing Date 30 March
Celebrate your local ‘retired members’ and ‘successful learners’ with £500 cash prizes and 2020 Brighton School places!
Biodiversity Net Gain through UK Construction Projects
The Conservation Hierarchy is a new framework developed by the University of Oxford to help construction projects achieve Biodiversity Net Gain.
How Project Managers for Town Centre Developments can Balance Risk
Jacqueline Hughes, senior risk analyst at Equib, in pbctoday discusses how project managers for town centre developments can get their risk management strategies right.
Red Tape is Strangling our High Streets
A new paper from the Adam Smith Institute argues that the problem with the High Street has been totally misunderstood, saying that we need to reform restrictive planning rules and reject a policy of managed decline to reinvigorate our town centres.
Calculating the full cost of energy used by buildings
The Whole Life Cost of Energy (WLCoE) calculator – issued by government in BETA form – is intended to help building owners and operators to understand the full financial cost of the energy their buildings use, and welcomes feedback
England’s heritage worth £31Bn: New Historic England report
New research published by Historic England (HE) shows the value of heritage to England’s economy as it contributes to economic prosperity and growth through jobs in the heritage and construction sectors and from tourism.