Investing in skills to protect ancient buildings

At Pick Everard, we have the privilege of working on some of the country’s most iconic cultural sites, including the Natural History Museum, Court Palace, and Westminster Hall, which requires teams to have a deep understanding of conservation philosophy and technical approach.

Recently, our heritage building surveyors, James Nelson, Ed Mason, and Neli Zhecheva-Goodwin attended the Repair of Old Buildings course, delivered by the Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings (SPAB).

The intensive, week-long programme is rooted in the SPAB’s conservation philosophy of repair and maintenance. It provides vital training on materials, techniques, and principles that underpin traditional construction with a modern slant focused on sustainability and climate resilience.

Key topics included:

• Climate change, sustainability and retrofitting
• Historic building controls   
• Construction and performance of traditional buildings  
• Plasterwork in historic buildings  
• Timber repairs 
• Traditional brickwork repairs 
• Conservation of stained glass

The programme combined classroom learning with site-based experience. The trio spent three days at the Museum of the Home in London, attending lectures from leading heritage professionals.

The sessions covered a wide range of technical and policy-focused topics, including sustainable retrofitting, plastering methods, brickwork conservation, and the SPAB’s approach to live working party projects.

Site visits to Canterbury provided valuable real-world insight, with the team visiting the iconic Canterbury Cathedral, Christ Church Gate, and the historic Poor Priests’ Hospital. This was followed by a visit to Temple Church in Holborn, close to our London office, and the Great Hall at St Batholomew’s Hospital, both of which are outstanding examples of complex heritage repair and conservation in practice.

The comprehensive experience gave our team a deeper appreciation of the craft, context, and collaboration involved in heritage projects. It highlights the level of craftsmanship required, the challenges posed by aging materials and structures, and how traditional buildings can be adapted to meet future sustainability goals.

As we continue to work on projects of high cultural value and heritage significance, we remain committed to supporting the sector by providing continued professional development to address the heritage skills shortage, ensuring our team receives the best specialist training available.

Courses like SPAB’s not only enhance technical knowledge but reinforce the respect and care needed to work on buildings that have stood the test of time.

Neli Zhecheva-Goodwin, Graduate Building Surveyor at Pick Everard, commented: “The technical lectures delivered by leading conservation professionals during the week were second to none. The broad range of topics ensured even our more niche interests were addressed, and the impromptu conversations with fellow delegates sparked engaging discussions and valuable exchanges of opinion.”

To see how our expertise translates into real-life solutions, take a look at our latest culture and heritage projects.