September 2024

They key event of the month was the International Conference ‘Building Pathology 24’. Organised by SOCOTEC with the impetus and content provided by H+R and Oxford Brookes University, over 200 delegates attended an excellent programme of lectures over two days with a conference dinner at Magdalen College. The last Building Pathology Conference took place in 1992, so it is a very welcome return

 

The conference focussed on sustainable and cost-effective ways of addressing deficiencies in new, existing, and traditional buildings with open discussions over two days. Topics covered included Climate change, Retrofit techniques, Flooding, Dampness and mould, Health Impacts, Building performance, Timber decay, Building surveys and assessments, Craft training, Building safety, Community engagement and Fire safety

 

Project work continued around the conference, notably on the Camden Winding Vaults forming part of our work for HS2. The origin of the vaults was to house two large steam engines and winding gear used to pull trains up the incline from Euston, on the London-Birmingham Main Line

 

Specialist investigations of the timbers within the Great Hall at Trinity College Cambridge started in the month as well as at the large redundant pumping house at Exchange Square in Croydon. We have also finally restarted work at the old Thomas Goode building in Mayfair