3.1 Reconciling Values Conservation practice involves managing and maintaining places and buildings, and planning for their future. Heritage has cultural values associated with the past, but is also part of the infrastructure of modern society and a fundamental resource that underpins its sustainable future. Therefore, heritage is an economic resource in the present, with social, economic and environmental values. The challenge for heritage professionals is to conserve cultural values whilst allowing places and buildings to adapt where appropriate or necessary, so that they remain fit for purpose, accommodating society’s changing needs and demands. Consequently, specialist built and historic environment conservation practice is fundamentally about reconciling values, by addressing heritage values in the context of utility values, investment values, economic values, social values, environmental values, legislative requirements and the other requirements of those that occupy and use heritage. To make good-quality judgments about potential changes to heritage, it is essential to consider the impacts of those changes against a wide social, economic and environmental context. Focusing only on cultural values can lead to poor-quality and unsustainable decisions because it considers only a small part of a complex process. In some instances this can result in heritage assets and resources becoming non-viable, threatening their survival. Fundamental to this is the recognition that change created our historic environments and that change is an essential part of managing and developing those environments. Professional practice encompasses a wide range of activities that can fall within the professional discipline of the practitioner, from project design issues such as understanding values, to delivery, which can range from economics to health and safety. Understanding the scope of a practitioner’s own professional discipline, and where professionals from other disciplines need to be brought in, is an essential part of professional practice. There are various kinds of recognition or accreditation for professionals that specialise in different aspects of conservation. These are listed on the IHBC’s pansector, publicly accessible web listing of ‘Specialist Registers’ at: http://www.ihbc.org.uk/resources_head/ specialist_registers/index.html 3.2 Things to Consider Practice involves finding creative solutions, as well as negotiation and compromise, in order to find optimum outcomes for heritage assets and resources. Various factors need to be considered, as discussed in the following section. Philosophy The philosophical basis for conservation must be understood, though it is equally important to apply conservation philosophy in a flexible and pragmatic 3. PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE 12
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