David Watt

Background

David is a chartered building surveyor and historic buildings consultant, with a degree in building surveying, a post-graduate diploma in architectural conservation, a post-graduate degree in conservation science and a doctorate in aspects of architectural recording. He also qualified as a general practice surveyor with the former Incorporated Society of Valuers & Auctioneers. He is a Fellow of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (FRICS), a full member of the Institution of Historic Building Conservation (IHBC) and accredited as an RICS Certified Historic Building Professional. He is a member of various conservation and heritage societies, and was a Monument Scholar at the Attingham Summer School for the study of country houses and collections in 1992.

David has worked in both private and public sectors, including architectural and surveying practices (1986–91) and as Conservation Officer with Norfolk County Council (1991–96). He was a Senior Research Fellow at De Montfort University (1996–05), where he taught postgraduate conservation courses and training programmes for professionals, supervised research students and provided consultancy services to a range of clients. He also undertook and published research on various aspects of architectural conservation and building pathology.

David lectures regularly to academic and professional audiences on subjects relating to architectural conservation and building pathology and has been an external examiner for undergraduate building surveying and postgraduate conservation courses at various academic institutions. He is the author of Surveying Historic Buildings (1996, 2011) and Building Pathology: Principles and Practice (1999, 2007), co-author of Measurement and Recording of Historic Buildings (1993, 2004) and was editor of the Journal of Architectural Conservation (1995–05).

Areas of Practice

David joined H+REI in 2005. Much of his work deals with the survey, documentation and investigation of historic buildings and sites, and providing pre-and post-contract services for the conservation and repair of listed buildings and ancient monuments. His particular interests relate to the use of traditional building materials and the influence of people and environmental conditions on historic buildings.

In July 2023 David was appointed as a Visiting Professor in the Faculty of Technology, Design and Environment at Oxford Brookes University. David will be working with the School of the Built Environment in areas of professional practice and research relating to building pathology and continuing his earlier involvement as external examiner with the university’s successful postgraduate Historic Conservation course.

David and his colleagues at H+R will be using this new professorship (chair) to encourage the understanding and application of building pathology in academic institutions, the building industry, and in government throughout the UK and abroad.