RICS and SPAB hold 8th consecutive Building Conservation Summer School5th September 2012

RICS and SPAB (The Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings) have teamed up for the eighth consecutive year to hold the Building Conservation Summer School, from 9-13 September 2012 at the Royal Agricultural College, Cirencester.

The five-day course brings together students, prospective chartered surveyors and practitioners from far and wide for unprecedented access to leading experts in the historic building surveying profession, including Cirencester’s-own renowned classical sculptor Rory Young, and Chair of the RICS Building Conservation Forum, Stephen Boniface of The Whitworth Co-Partnership LLP.

Created in 2004, the annual Summer School aims to reinforce undergraduate and graduate training in traditional buildings, construction techniques and materials, and attracts around 35 to 50 students each day. With an eclectic mix of topics - from structural diagnosis and repair, to the energy efficiency of older buildings, and stone and wrought iron conservation to traditional roof structures - a series of seminars will help attendees develop and maintain best practice.

As well as seminars, attendees will have access to a hands-on day learning about lime mortars, plastering and pointing. Students will also take a day trip on the final day of school to the nearby incomplete gothic Woodchester Mansion to put into practice some of the aspects learnt throughout the event.

Marianne Suhr MRICS, Technical Promotions Officer at SPAB, who designed the Summer School programme said:

“Conserving our nation's heritage is widely promoted, but ensuring that those protecting it have the skills, knowledge and understanding is also fundamental. This underpins the principles of the RICS Building Conservation Forum and SPAB and, as such, we have jointly designed the course to support new and prospective surveyors and other professionals in the field.

“The course can help those hoping to launch a career in historic building surveying by developing the key skills required to specialise in inspecting and repairing old and traditional buildings – which make up 1 in 5 of the UK’s building stock. The school can also provide essential continuous development opportunities to qualified chartered surveyors, who are keen to brush up their knowledge.”

For more information please see www.rics.org/summerschool2012