The arc: identifying and engaging specialist historic environment professionals
The Arc: an historic built environment online resource (visit at https://the-arc.uk/) created by founding partners:
- CIAT - Chartered Institute of Architectural Technologists
- CIfA - Chartered Institute for Archaeologists
- CIOB - Chartered Institute of Building
- Icon - Institute of Conservation
The Arc is an online resource for clients and stakeholders in the built and historic environment sectors. The Arc's purpose is to help clients find specialist historic environment professionals, including CIAT-Accredited Conservationists.
It does this by signposting clients and stakeholders to the registers of the founding participants that contain contact details for accredited or similarly qualified individuals and businesses.
The goal is to help clients and stakeholders make informed decisions when choosing historic environment professionals. It simplifies access to and clarifies the benefits of engaging appropriately qualified and experienced professionals. The founding participants agreed to work closely together in the interest of clients, stakeholder and wider industry to promote The Arc alongside their own registers.
Having launched 2024, The Arc will complete its first full year of operation in 2025 and is developing plans for 2026 and beyond. The focus will be on expanding its reach and strengthening collaboration.
Plans for the next phase include engaging with additional register holders to join The Arc and building wider support among organisations working in the historic environment, ensuring The Arc becomes a central hub for clients to find trusted professional expertise.
This article originally appeared on the CIAT news and blog site as 'CIAT collaborates with CIOB, CIfA, Icon to launch The Arc', dated 29 August, 2024 and was updated as 'The Arc participants reaffirm commitment with new MOU' dated 5 November 2025.
--CIAT
[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings
- Archaeology and construction.
- Building preservation notice.
- Certificate of immunity.
- CIAT articles.
- CIOB articles.
- Conservation areas.
- Conservation of the historic environment.
- English Heritage
- Heritage partnership agreement.
- Historic England.
- Historic environment good practice advice.
- Historic Environment Service Provider Recognition.
- Historic environment.
- IHBC articles.
- Listed buildings.
- Planning Policy Statement 5 Planning for the Historic Environment
- Scheduled monuments.
- Sites of Special Scientific Interest.
- Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings
- VAT - protected buildings.
Featured articles and news
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 fron the experts at Cornish Lime.
IHBC planning for growth with corporate plan development
Grow with the Institute by volunteering and CP25 consultation.
Connecting ambition and action for designers and specifiers.
Electrical skills gap deepens as apprenticeship starts fall despite surging demand says ECA.
Built environment bodies deepen joint action on EDI
B.E.Inclusive initiative agree next phase of joint equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) action plan.
Recognising culture as key to sustainable economic growth
Creative UK Provocation paper: Culture as Growth Infrastructure.
Futurebuild and UK Construction Week London Unite
Creating the UK’s Built Environment Super Event and over 25 other key partnerships.
Welsh and Scottish 2026 elections
Manifestos for the built environment for upcoming same May day elections.
Advancing BIM education with a competency framework
“We don’t need people who can just draw in 3D. We need people who can think in data.”
Guidance notes to prepare for April ERA changes
From the Electrical Contractors' Association Employee Relations team.
Significant changes to be seen from the new ERA in 2026 and 2027, starting on 6 April 2026.
First aid in the modern workplace with St John Ambulance.
Solar panels, pitched roofs and risk of fire spread
60% increase in solar panel fires prompts tests and installation warnings.
Modernising heat networks with Heat interface unit
Why HIUs hold the key to efficiency upgrades.

























