A fully immersive and practical residential course, presented by over 20 conservation experts in a wide variety of fields. With ample opportunity for discussion and questions, as well as 'hands on’ sessions, The Building Conservation Summer School is the most comprehensive course on offer for anyone seeking a career in the the repair of old buildings.

The 18th Annual Building Conservation Summer School 2023

Sunday 18th - Thursday 22nd June 2023

Plus...  NEW FOR 2023..!    The Extra Day - Friday 23rd June 2023

Some photos from the 2022 Summer School...

The Summer School provides over 30 hours formal CPD plus an additional 6 hours on the Extra Day.

Introduction

This course runs over five and a half days at the Royal Agricultural University in Cirencester. Previously organised by RICS, it is now a Not-For-Profit joint venture by three of the most experienced conservation focussed Chartered Building Surveyors in the country - Marianne Suhr, Stephen Bonifaceand Duncan Philips.

The course is aimed at building professionals who would like to get a comprehensive understanding of all aspects of building conservation from a large number of leading experts in one place at one time. It will also be of interest to those who wish to gain additional building conservation knowledge to enhance their career and general understanding of the subject. It is particularly suitable for APC candidates, Building Surveyors, Structural Engineers, Conservation Officers, Architects, building contractors and all related conservation trades. The course is not a formal accredited qualification and does not lead to any recognised certification other than being acceptable as CPD.

'CONSERVATION STRUCTURAL ENGINEERING’ - this year we are delighted to once again be joining with CARE (Conservation Accreditation Register of Engineers) to deliver a day of lectures by specialist engineers covering a range of topical subjects relating to structural defects in historic buildings.  This can be booked as a stand-alone day or be part of the Engineering Summer School Package which will additionally include a day out on site with experienced engineering professionals.  Whilst it is aimed at engineers, the programme will be of interest to all building professionals who seek a better understanding of the issues.

There are three different packages available, plus The Extra Day as a separately purchased package. Please go to the Ticket Booking page for details.

The full residential package includes a packed programme with 4 nights 'student' ensuite accommodation on campus (Sun, Mon, Tues, Weds) and all meals and refreshments from Sunday evening through to Thursday afternoon.  It includes all lectures, a town walk, drinks gatherings and some evening activities.  Those opting for the residential package will have a chance to mingle with speakers and delegates during the relaxed evening sessions in the student bar.

Note: Limited places are available: book early to avoid disappointment..!

VAT - This is a Not-For-Profit event and has been priced stay under the VAT threshold. There is no VAT within the ticket cost.

General Refund Policy -  We reserve the right, for any reason, to cancel the event at any time and a full refund will be provided.   If you need to cancel your booking, we will provide a full refund, less a £30 admin fee, up to Friday 19th May 2023. After this date we will be not be able to provide a refund but we can defer your place to the 2024 Summer School, subject to you paying any additional cost should the rate be increased.

Programme (we reserve the right to makes changes, if needed)

Sunday 18th June - Repair of Old Buildings - Setting the Scene

Chair: Duncan Philips

15:00 Registration, tea/coffee

15:30 Welcome to the Building Conservation Summer School 2023 - Marianne Suhr, Stephen Boniface, Duncan Philips

15:45 Diverse Careers in Building Conservation - Marianne Suhr, Stephen Boniface, Duncan Philips

16:30 Historic Buildings and Vernacular Diversity - Stephen Boniface

17:15 Refreshments

17:45 Building Defects and the Architectural Timeline - Geoff Hunt, Hunt Building Surveying Services

• what is a defect?
• how to spot common defects
• the architectural timeline

Evening Session (available only for those on the residential packages)

19:00 Dinner

20:00 Back from the Brink - The repair of a derelict farmhouse - Marianne Suhr

20:45 Close

Monday 19th June - Introduction to Building Conservation - The Basics

Chair : Stephen Boniface

08:30 Registration and Refreshments

08:45 Welcome and Introduction to Surveying Historic Buildings - Duncan Philips, Listed Building Surveys

• The basics - what do you do first?
• Decision making - what is actually a 'problem' that needs to be fixed?
• Inspection, assessment and report writing

09:45 Building Conservation Philosophy and the SPAB approach - Matthew Slocombe, Director, SPAB

10:30 Refreshments

10:50 Solid Wall Construction and the need for Old Buildings to Breathe - Marianne Suhr, Old House Consultancy

11:35 The Changing World of Moisture Investigation - Steve Hodgson, PCA

12:15 Timber Decay and Repair - David Watt, Hutton and Rostron

13:00 Lunch

14:00 Planning and Legislation for Listed Buildings - Stephen Boniface, Boniface Enterprises

14:45 Energy Retrofit for Older Buildings - Marianne Suhr, Old House Consultancy

16:00 Refreshments

16:15 Structural Diagnosis and Repair - Is that Crack Serious? - Patrick Stow, Structural Engineer

17:00 When should a surveyor seek advice from a structural engineer? - Stephen Boniface and Patrick Stow

17:30 Questions

18:30 Evening meal

19:45  Traditional Building Materials - Duncan Philips, Listed Building Surveys

20:30  Close

Tuesday 20th June - Option 1 - Understanding Lime and Practical Workshops

09:00 Drive to The Rural Skills Centre at Harnhill, (own transport, or share a lift) - 15 minute drive

09:30 Demonstrations and workshops to include..:

• Health and Safety
• The lime cycle
• Looking at sands
• Understanding hydrated limes - wet and dry hydrates
• cold and hot mixing limes

10:30 Refreshments

10:45 Practical sessions (on rotation)..:

• Group A - Plastering, with Sean Wheatley
• Group B - Mixing lime mortars, with Marianne Suhr and Michal Wolf

11:45

• Group A - Mixing lime mortars, with Marianne Suhr and Michal Wolf
• Group B - Plastering, with Sean Wheatley

13:00 Lunch

13.45 Hydraulic lime explained and demonstration of mixing hydraulic lime

14.00 Hands-on sessions (on rotation)

• Group A (red)– Running a cornice and Limewashing - Sean Wheatley and Michal Wolf

• Group B (blue) - Blending mortars and stone conservation - Nick Simonin

15.00 Hands-on sessions (on rotation)

• Group A (red) - Blending mortars and stone conservation - Nick Simonin

• Group B (blue) - Running a cornice and Limewashing - Sean Wheatley and Michal Wolf

16.00 Refreshment break

16.15 Plaster and render case studies

Sean Wheatley and Michal Wolf

17:15 Close and return back to RAU by own transport or lift

Evening Session

18:30 Evening meal

19:30 Quiz Night..!!   Come and test your knowledge   :)

Tuesday 20th June - Option 2 - Conservation Structural Engineering

8.30 Refreshments

8.50 Welcome

9.00 Introduction to Structural Conservation – Ed Morton

• The reasons why structural conservation requires skill beyond those of other engineers

9.45 Buildings at Risk – Jon Avent

10.30 Refreshments

10:50 Repair of Historic Structural Ironwork - James Miller

11:30 Timber Framed Buildings - tbc

12:15 Discussion/Questions on Morning Sessions

12:30 Lunch

13:30 Embodied Carbon - The Case for Renovation and Retrofit – Jon Avent / Ben Hutton

14:30 Historic Building Foundations – tbc

15:30 Refreshments

15:45 Historic Building Failures – tbc

16:45 Questions/Discussion

17:00 Close

19:30 Quiz Night..!! Come and test your knowledge :)

Wednesday 21st June - Old Building Repair - Materials and Specifications

Chair.:  Marianne Suhr

08:30 Registration

08:45 Welcome: Marianne Suhr

08.50 Decorative plasterwork, repair and conservation  -  Sean Wheatley

09:40 Introduction to timber framed buildings -  Charley Brentnall, Xylotek

10.40 Refreshment break

11.00 Development of Traditional Roof Structures -  Stephen Boniface

11:40 Defect Diagnosis in Traditional Roof Coverings and Rainwater Disposal - Duncan Philips

12:20 An Introduction to Thatched Roofs - Stephen Boniface

13.00 Lunch – with optional handmade brick demonstration and practical experience - Duncan Philips

14:00 History, Care and Repair of brickwork  - David Pope, Project Manager, Ernest Barnes Ltd

15:00 Earth Building, History, Construction and Repair Techniques  - Marianne Suhr

15:45 Refreshment break

16:00 Cost Control for Historic Building Projects - Duncan Ball

16:30 Plain glass and glazing  - Ben Sinclair, Director, Norgrove Studios

17.15 ‘Glass Spotting’ Walkabout with Ben Sinclair 

17.45 Close

18:15 Evening meal

19:30 Cirencester Town Walk, followed by drinks 

Thursday 22nd June - Option 1 - Study Visit to Woodchester Mansion

Mark Hancock, Director, Centreline Architectural Sculpture

David Hardwick, Duncan Philips, Stephen Boniface

Day trip to Woodchester Mansion in Stroud, where delegates will be asked to put into practice what they have learned so far

08:45 Depart Royal Agricultural University - own transport - 30 - 40 minutes drive

09:30 Meet at Woodchester Mansion Car Park

Park in car park as shown on map provided in your Welcome Pack. Walk down the path to the Mansion or there will be a minibus available for those that do not wish to walk.

10:00 History and Construction of Woodchester Mansion

David Hardwick

10:45 Tea / Coffee

11.00 Groups split into two for guided tours of the Mansion.

David Hardwick & Mark Hancock

12.30 Bats in Buildings  -  Max Raven 

Consideration of how to deal with bats in buildings with specific reference to the colonies at Woodchester.

13:00 Lunch (packed lunch will be provided by RAU):

13:30 Repairing Woodchester Mansion: A review of projects past and present

Looking at drawings and specifications and how they are translated on site

If there are ongoing projects there may be opportunity to inspect at close quarters, subject to health and safety.

Mark Hancock

14:30 Historic building recording

David Hardwick

Why is recording of such importance that the process is elevated into a conservation principle?

15:30 Tea and coffee, followed by a variety of options including:

Drone photography, sketching etc..

16:30 Main Summer School ends. 

Delegates head home from Woodchester Mansion.

For those staying on for The Extra Day for Friday head back to RAU.

Evening meal , followed by 10 minute presentations from Alumni members

Alumni Gathering – Old Friends and New

Thursday 22nd June - Option 2 - Conservation engineering site visit and workshop day.

An opportunity to spend a day on site with experienced CARE registered engineers, looking at real life conservation challenges, exploring the thought processes and methods of reporting and specifying.  There will be plenty of opportunity for discussion and questions. 

Friday 23rd June - The Extra Day..!

08:45 Welcome

09.00 Dr Robyn Pender - Using the Past to Unlock the Future

10.00 Joanne Williams - Flood Risk and Historic Buildings

11.00 Refreshment break

11:20 Dr Emma Wells – Heaven on Earth 

12.10 Dale Ingram –  The Future of Historic Pubs

13.00 Lunch

14.00 Steve Emery – Fire Safety Solutions for Historic Buildings 

14:50 Louis Randall –  Challenges faced when managing an occupied Royal Estate 

15.50 Refreshment break

16:00 Questions to the Panel

17:00 End of day