There are five units within the scheme;
Unit One: Cultural Significance
Understanding the cultural significance of a site is vital for successful conservation. This unit is designed to assess a practitioner’s expertise with respect to investigating and assessing the cultural, historical, social and emotional significance of a site, the importance of its architectural quality, spatial layout, use and significance of the physical fabric in order to make informed decisions about its treatment and protection.
Evidence can be derived from dealing with physical decay of buildings, their everyday maintenance and adapting redundant buildings for alternate, sustainable usage where the principles of conservation (minimal intervention, reversibility, minimal loss of fabric and preservation of authenticity & integrity) are adhered to. Forms of evidence may include:
Unit Two: Architectural and Aesthetic Qualities and Value
Buildings and sites are valued because of their significance and representation to their current owner/user as well as local/national culture as a whole in the past, present and future. As a dominant factor with respect to value, architectural quality must be retained throughout and subsequent to any conservation work. Any intervention, however small, is likely to affect appearance and consequently value. This unit is design to assess a practitioner’s expertise with respect to recognising and assessing architectural quality and value in order that conservation work, whether it be a whole site or building element(s) is undertaken with full knowledge and appreciation of its potential impact upon existing architectural quality.
Evidence can be derived from dealing with physical decay of buildings, their everyday maintenance and adapting redundant buildings for alternate, sustainable usage where the principles of conservation (minimal intervention, reversibility, minimal loss of fabric and preservation of authenticity & integrity) are adhered to. Forms of evidence may include:
Unit Three: Investigation, Materials and Technology
Buildings and sites are valued because of their significance and representation to their current owner/user as well as local/national culture as a whole in the past, present and future and so successful conservation requires incorporation of additional technical factors to ensure that special values are protected. This could include balancing the need for current regulation conformation with its implications to the site and identifying, rectifying and minimising environmental and other deterioration. This unit is designed to assess a practitioner’s expertise with respect to condition surveys and investigation of defects, their symptoms and causes. It will also assess their ability to make balanced, defensible decisions in order to resolve the physical, aesthetic and philosophical issues presented.
Evidence can be derived from dealing with physical decay of buildings, their everyday maintenance and adapting redundant buildings for alternate, sustainable usage where the principles of conservation (minimal intervention, reversibility, minimal loss of fabric and preservation of authenticity & integrity) are adhered to. Forms of evidence may include:
Unit Four: Social and Financial Issues
Buildings and sites are valued because of their significance and representation to their current owner/user as well as local/national culture as a whole in the past, present and future and so any intervention should ensure that special values are protected. Within this context, the site along with its specific qualities and requirements are of primary importance and should be used to guide any methodology and strategy developed in order to support their protection. This unit is designed to assess a practitioner’s expertise with respect to making balanced, defensible decisions with respect to their impact upon significance and contextual factors and that they are able to develop these in order to resolve the social and economic issues that threaten the significance of a site.
Evidence can be derived from dealing with physical decay of buildings, their everyday maintenance and adapting redundant buildings for alternate, sustainable usage where the principles of conservation (minimal intervention, reversibility, minimal loss of fabric and preservation of authenticity & integrity) are adhered to. Forms of evidence may include:
Unit Five: Implementation and Management of Conservation Works
Buildings and sites are valued because of their significance and representation to their current owner/user as well as local/national culture as a whole in the past, present and future and so any intervention should ensure that special values are protected. Understanding the cultural significance of a site is vital for successful conservation and sensitive historical, architectural and archaeological issues will likely influence the aspects of construction such as schedule, contractors and specialist skills required. This unit is designed to assess a practitioner’s expertise with respect to implementing financial and managerial aspects of a conservation plan or project without damaging or compromising the cultural significance of the site, to put in place measures that ensure its sustained usage.
Evidence can be derived from dealing with physical decay of buildings, their everyday maintenance and adapting redundant buildings for alternate, sustainable usage where the principles of conservation (minimal intervention, reversibility, minimal loss of fabric and preservation of authenticity and integrity) are adhered to. Forms of evidence may include: