Towards a Green Heritage: contemporary solutions to age-old problems

This one day conference is presented by The Green Register in conjunction with RIBA South West.

The UK has as many historic buildings as in all the countries of Europe put together and we are rightly proud of our architectural heritage. But are we trying to preserve these buildings at the expense of the environment?

Many aspects of historic building preservation are compatible with the principles of sustainable design – making use of local, low impact materials, employing natural, unprocessed materials and using passive solar gain – but there are others that are in apparent opposition. Approaches can differ radically and this conference will seek to explore these challenges using case studies to illustrate where collaboration has resulted in successful, sustainable and sensitively renovated solutions.

The conference will start with an introduction by architect George Ferguson giving a regional perspective. This will be followed by a talk given by English Heritage who will dispel some of the more common myths about historic buildings and sustainability. A comprehensive review of relevant legislation, including PPG 15 and other policies will be presented by Chris Pound, Planner and active representative at UNESCO.

There will be case studies illustrating a collaborative approach to the problem resulting in successful outcomes and the morning finishes with B&NES presenting their ‘Georgian house for the future’ project.

During the lunch break, a talk and tour of the neighbouring award winning Heelis project by Feilden Clegg Bradley have been organised and delegates will be able to reserve a place when booking the conference.

The second part of the day will begin with Ruth Reed, new RIBA President, who will comment on how the RIBA is engaging with these issues and in particular how the Institute has successfully campaigned to lower the VAT level on refurbishment projects.

Challenging workshops will include John Willoughby with his Extreme Refurb programme, Kevin McCloud discussing The Great British Refurb as well as a session with the National Trust who will discuss with delegates the creation of a new building within a Listed building.

The conference will conclude with an open debate with Paul King of UK-GBC, Kevin McCloud of Grand Designs and Ruth Reed followed by a drinks reception (provided by JHAi Approved Inspectors) and the launch of RIBA Retrofit Ideas competition.

A full schedule, costs and booking form can be obtained by contacting us at mail@greenregister.org.uk

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