THE FUTURE OF OLD
BUILDINGS
CDAC
specialises in the conservation of old, listed
and historic buildings through...
CONSULTANCY
We offer
consultancy based upon 25 years' professional practice in building
conservation...
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Advising
owners, building professionals, developers and others on practical
historic/old building issues
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Explaining conservation preferences
encountered in the planning system or likely to benefit old buildings
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Offering lateral-thinking in cases of
apparent conflicts between owners' wishes and official requirements
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Client design and
project advice - to guide clients through the building process
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Preparation of
written reports required by planning or grant-awarding bodies
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Archival research
in connection with project development and planning
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PRESERVATION & REPAIR
We can bring an understanding
of traditional building, twentieth century repairs and current options...
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Analysing
building failures or maintenance needs
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Condition Reports
with guidelines for appropriate conservation repairs
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Highlighting where
'conventional' modern repair/decoration materials could conflict with
the original fabric
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Helping to prepare
specifications for repairs and adaptations using traditional building
methods
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Advising on
conservative repair, for example in accordance with SPAB principles
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Using our long
experience with the modern building industry to understand former
(C20th) interventions
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ADAPTATION, NEW BUILD &
SUSTAINABLE USE
We can offer general advice
and interpret current options for...
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Re-tuning an old buildings' intrinsic
sustainability using modern sustainable technologies
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Assessing the balance between
insulation, breathability and moisture control
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Incorporation of
current technology and services minimising visual and physical intrusion
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Adaptations to
provide equal access and improve user comfort and safety
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Extensions and
alterations in sympathy with the style and period of the original
building
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Contemporary
designs respecting the scale and materials of the original
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New-build using
traditional and natural materials and new sustainable materials
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EXPERIENCE
We use our past professional and practical experience to help those
with live projects...
Consultancy
commissions include work for developers of housing, commercial office
and regeneration projects. We have successfully provided 'plug-in'
business-to-business conservation services for fellow professionals such
as commercial architects whose wider projects have included an historic
building.
CDAC's consultancy
work is based upon knowledge gained from our own past projects which
include a variety of works for The National Trust, ecclesiastical work
carried out in association with English Heritage, domestic work for
private individuals and works for charity organisations in connection
with public grants.
Our present
consultancy is also informed by a range of past conservative repair
projects and hands-on conservation work carried out to the standards
required for professional conservation accreditation.
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COMMUNICATION
Old buildings used different
technology and served different ways of life, their adaptation to modern
use can often be more satisfactorily achieved through understanding
rather than overwhelming them.
Their antiquity
may also give them enhanced value: age and character translating into
financial worth -
despite some limitations in performance - making it logical to
understand and preserve true character.
The directors of
CDAC have been actively involved in national and local conservation
issues during their careers, serving on committees of professional
bodies and conservation organisations.
They have written
extensively - books, magazines and websites - to share lessons learnt
from building conservation and to highlight its relevance to the modern
pursuit of sustainability.
They are keen to
make this information more widely available and understood through work
in architectural and general education, talks and lectures, and by
contributing to broadcasts and websites - please see
www.oldhouse.info for more.
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