Civic Society Speaker Event

Our next speaker, on Monday 14 May at 7.30pm. is Kirklees Conservation and Design Team Leader, Charles Smith, who will outline a recently produced guide on how to sensitively introduce changes to historically important buildings that improve their environmental performance.

Building on current English Heritage advice, the guide has been designed to give owners, occupiers, architects, planners, engineers, surveyors and developers the confidence to tackle the environmental performance of these irreplaceable structures.

The report has been produced by Arup on behalf of Kirklees and Leeds Councils and provides a vital tool to those tasked with retaining a building’s special features whilst reaping the benefits of cheaper running costs and reduced carbon emissions.

Charles will explain the process to identify how a building is used and where emissions come from so suitable changes can be introduced. The report includes five case studies which assess the historic and architectural significance of each building, its condition, its services and bill analysis. This information is used to identify feasible interventions, with an options appraisal of each, followed by a series of recommended actions. The case studies include a mill, school, commercial building, former weavers’ cottage and gallery so a range of typical issues are covered and can be applied in many circumstances.

The guidance was officially launched on 6 March 2012 and the Civic Society event will provide members with a valuable insight into what is becoming one of the most important topics of our age.

The McDonalds TV advert recently filmed around Huddersfield.

• To encourage high standards of architecture and town planning.
  
  
• To stimulate public interest in and care for the beauty, history and character of the town and its surroundings.
  
  
• To encourage the preservation, development and improvement of features of general public amenity or historical interest.
  
  
• To pursue these ends by means of meetings, exhibitions, lectures, publicity and promotion of schemes of a charitable nature.