2 Alterations to 1 in 4 buildings in the UK need heritage specialists One in four buildings in the UK is traditionally built, typically with solid walls of brick or stone, bonded with a relatively soft lime mortar. All these older buildings perform in a way that is different from modern buildings (generally, those built after the first world war) and are easily damaged by inappropriate repairs, alterations and retrofit work. In the worst cases, the addition of insulation to an external wall prevents natural evaporation and makes it damp, cooling the surface and causing condensation. This leads to greater heat loss from the masonry in a vicious cycle that ultimately leads to the development of mould, with the potential for life-threatening respiratory problems for the more vulnerable occupants. All these buildings require specialist skills and knowledge to avoid harm. Where these buildings are also listed as being of special architectural or historic significance, the effect of alterations and repairs on their significance also needs to be carefully considered as it is a criminal offence to alter one in a way that harms its significance without consent. This applies to both the interior and the exterior of the building. In this field, conservation is defined as the management of change in a way that safeguards the heritage asset and its significance for the future. Some change is often necessary, whether to halt decay or to ensure the suitability for its current or future use. It is a fundamental tenet of conservation that these changes are kept to the minimum necessary. Understanding what changes are necessary and which are not requires fine judgements informed by experience and skill at every step of the way. This includes for example: • the architect or surveyor who prepares the specification and submits the application for listed building consent • the member of the local authority planning team who looks at the application and checks that the impact of the proposal on the heritage asset has been fully understood by the applicant and that any aspect of change is justified • the building contractor or craftsperson who carries out the work and interprets the specification guidance given by the architect or surveyor.
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