Dublin Civic Trust Summer CPD Courses

Dublin Civic Trust runs a series of courses and seminars each year which provides training and technical skills in the repair and maintenance of historic and traditionally built structures. These courses are rated for Continuing Professional Development (CPD) by the Royal Institute of Architects of Ireland and The Society of Chartered Surveyors. Just announced is their summer programme of CPD courses, which are now booking online at dublincivictrust.ie.

One Day Seminar – Thursday 23rd May 2013
Price: €170
This stimulating one-day seminar adopts a practical and technical approach to the identification, repair, thermal upgrading and decoration of modernist metal and historic timber windows. Windows form an integral part of our historic built environment. The very ‘eyes’ of a building, they lend important architectural expression to a facade as well as serving the more practical function of admitting light inside and permitting views to the outside world. An appreciation of the unique handcrafted characteristics, detailing and quality materials used in historic windows’ construction has grown in recent years, with many seminars and publications rightly focusing on the design and detailing of this precious architectural inheritance.

Less common has been a thorough exploration of the options available when it comes to the detailed structural repair and thermal upgrading of historic timber windows and modern movement metal frames. There have been significant advances in technology in these fields in recent years, particularly in glass products being widely promoted for use in England and Scotland in both historic window fabric as well as reproduction frames. Likewise, the conventional focus on the repair of timber windows is now widening, as an appreciation of other forms of traditional window emerges, including cast-iron and modernist mild steel window framing, in buildings as diverse as industrial and public edifices to the modest suburban house. Even timber itself has been undergoing a revolution, with new forms of treated and modified timber products emerging on the market. This innovation and development, in addition to new demands associated with Building Energy Rating (BER), requires a careful reassessment of approaches to window specification and repair to ensure that the principles of best conservation practice continue to be upheld.

This stimulating one-day seminar will feature a host of expert speakers and practitioners exploring the options available to building professionals, clients and householders in approaching conservation and restoration of historic windows in line with current best practice. Of key interest is the focus on the repair, upgrading and re-commissioning of modernist metal window frames as an a appreciation of Ireland’ twentieth century built heritage emerges.

One Day Seminar – Mountjoy Square, Dublin 1
Ian Hume, DIC, DiplConsAA, CEng, MIStructE, IHBC
Conservation Accredited Engineer and former Chief Engineer, English Heritage
Monday 10th June 2013
Price: €170

Following from the positive response to an on-site visit we held with Ian Hume in 2012, this unique day of lectures and on-site assessment will focus on best practice repair and consolidation of historic buildings through inspection of 18th century houses in Mountjoy Square, Dublin 1, which are currently undergoing major structural consolidation. This will afford attendees a unique opportunity to assess both common and innovative conservation engineering issues on-site, including bracing, stitching, jacking, and joinery and masonry consolidation, with one of the most experienced professionals in the field of conservation engineering. This is a rare, must-attend event for anyone seeking an insight into the complex repair, works phasing and site management involved with major Protected Structures. Early booking is advised as places are strictly limited.