Churches are complex buildings which support a vast range of activities; from worship, education and community support, to tourism and the display of museum-quality collections. This imposes great technical demands and at times conservation may conflict with use.
Building performance assessment is a critical tool to successful management, bringing together information not only about the fabric and the microclimate, but also about the services (especially the heating), and current and future uses. By understanding how a building is performing, day-to-day management can be more effective, care and conservation can be more sustainable, and the risks and running costs of alterations minimised.
ChurchCare run a conference in October 2014 bringing together a range of experts, to explore the assessment of building performance and the control of internal microclimates. The focus of the conference was on the complex case of cathedrals, but its results are also of interest to those working with environmental problems in greater churches, smaller parish churches, and other types of historic buildings.
Below are the various sessions, together with speakers' presentations and additional resources. You can download the conference programme and abstracts here.
Building Performance in Use: the great unknown?
Dr Bill Bordass (Usable Buildings Trust)
Download the presentation slides here.
Finding Out How Your Building is Performing: an introduction
Dr Robyn Pender (English Heritage)
Download the presentation slides here.
A Little and Often: maximising life expectancy of building fabric and reducing long term costs
Graham Abrey (Ingram Consultancy Limited)
Download the presentation slides here.
Building Conservation and Environment: commissioning useful research and understanding practical results
Tobit Curteis (Tobit Curteis Associates)
Download the presentation slides here.
Exeter Cathedral: working collaboratively to understand the root causes of fabric decay
Camilla Finlay (Acanthus Clews Architects)
Download the presentation slides here.
Winchester Cathedral: planning, commissioning and using conservation consultants when managing major projects
Annabelle Boyes and Nick Cox (Winchester Cathedral | Nick Cox Architects)
With introduction by The Very Revd James Atwell, Dean of Winchester
Download the presentation slides here.
Durham Cathedral: exhibition and display in complex mediaeval spaces. Environmental and conservation strategies
Christopher Cotton (Purcell)
Download the presentation slides here.
Conservation of Fabric and Collections in Cathedrals: environmental factors
Tobit Curteis (Tobit Curteis Associates)
Download the presentation slides here.
Open Forum
Chaired by Jennie Page (Cathedrals Fabric Commission) with panel members
from The Edge, SPAB, Heritage Lottery Fund and English Heritage
Further resources
Building Environment (Practical Building Conservation series, English Heritage)
