Current Issue
Heritage Roofing
Heritage roofing - maintaining our iconic buildings
The UK is home to some of the most iconic buildings in the world, from stunning churches and cathedrals to historic stately homes. Each and every one of these remarkable feats of architecture requires regular maintenance to ensure they remain in the very best condition, allowing them to be enjoyed for generations.
Traditional Lime
Lime: it’s better for buildings – and for the environment
It is now fairly well known that cement is not good for old buildings and that lime mortar should be used. But why? What are the advantages and what are the disadvantages? In order to begin to answer those questions it is necessary to understand the nature of traditional building, the process by which buildings used to be built, and how it differs from modern construction, the process by which we build today.
Audio Visual
Audio visual equipment in church buildings
This guidance is issued by the Church Buildings Council under section 55(1)(d) of the Dioceses, Mission and Pastoral Measure 2007. As it is statutory guidance, it must be considered with great care. The standards of good practice set out in the guidance should not be departed from unless the departure is justified by reasons that are spelled out clearly, logically and convincingly.
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CRE Events
After the Midlands, onward to Milton Keynes
"CRE Midlands reminded me of the giddy days when it first began – the venue was packed with exhibitors and visitors and there was a busy atmosphere. The whole thing looked great."
Insurance
You need to ensure that reasonable precautions are in place at your church to keep it safe for those who use it. To do this, you need to think about what might cause harm to people.
You will then need to decide if the precautions already in place are adequate. If they are not, you may need to identify further action to prevent any danger. When done formally, this is known as a risk assessment.
Lead Roofing
Lead is one of the oldest materials in the roofing industry and is still commonly used throughout the world today.
Lead roofing is a traditional roofing method which has been used in the industry for hundreds of years, and is therefore proven to be extremely reliable. Lead roofing, and sand-cast lead, in particular is ideal for old buildings such as churches or historical renovations, whereas milled lead roofing is a mass-produced alternative, used for precision and accuracy in homes and commercial buildings alike.
Lightning Protection
When lightning strikes are you protected against this act of God?
The issue of lightning protection in churches is one that has exercised this publication for many years. In this four-part series of spotlights on the issue we will be revisiting various aspects of the subject, beginning with an overview of current thinking.
Home
Heritage and energy conservation go hand in hand in Camden
Residents who want to improve the energy efficiency of their homes can now turn to Camden Council’s new on-line Retrofitting Planning Guidance.
The Retrofitting Planning Guidance gives residents all the information they need on the planning process required if they wish to install low carbon technologies such as insulation and renewable energy systems in their homes.
Domestic properties account for a quarter of Camden’s carbon emissions. More than half of the pre-1930s solid wall homes across the borough need to be retrofitted by 2020 if the borough is to achieve its goal of a 40 per cent carbon reduction.
The new guidance, which is published on 11 June, goes hand in hand with Camden’s existing planning policies that preserve and enhance the valuable historic character of our borough. Offering an approach that allows heritage and energy conservation to co-exist.
To launch the new guidance, Cllr Sean Birch visited a retrofitted Victorian home in the Belsize conservation area as part of Eco House weekend.
The property shows how a solid wall Victorian property can be insulated internally to the front elevation and externally to the rear, to achieve a 70 per cent carbon reduction in use without harming the character of the local conservation area.
Councillor Sean Birch, Cabinet Member for Sustainability, Camden Council said:
“With domestic properties making up 25 per cent of Camden’s energy use it’s crucial we do everything we can to help residents make their homes more energy efficient.
“This new retro-fitting guidance is great news for Camden. It shows that we can find the right balance between Camden’s rich architectural heritage and the need to safeguard the long term sustainability of our housing stock.”
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