I live in a Grade 2 Listed Building. It is solid stone and rendered. We have done all the insulation that we can. Now I would like to insulate the walls on the outside. I have found a product made from wood chippings and applied with lime plaster, but, as expected, the conservation officers from our local council have said no, even though it would not change the appearance of the building. The ground floor of our house is occupied by shops, so we are high up on the 1st & 2nd floors and exposed to cold winds, so I would really like to do this. How do I convince the conservation officers? Can anyone give me an example of a listed building that has had this treatment?

Yeah! let's have a fight about it!

As a thermal insulant its performance is less than average hence the reliance on greater thicknesses to make it effective.
It is however "breathable" and that is an important and maybe largely misunderstood element in the insulation of older properties.
But how breathable does it have to be?
That leads to another question:
In a breathable insulation construction how does water vapour know it has to carry on through to the outside whereas in a plastic foam insulation based solution we have to use a vapour barrier which if breached leads to condensation of that water vapour and hence possible mould growth at the interface where the temperature is lower than the dew point??

How do I convince the conservation officers? Can anyone give me an example of a listed building that has had this treatment?

I had a similar conversation with a conservation officer recently: You can't. This is the reason that listed buildings will come to be seen as financial liabilities over the next decade or so.

As usual, Ev, you treat us with the benefit of your knowledge and expertise.

Where would we be without you...?



J

Its an uphill struggle. I was involved in a listed building application for solar thermal in a slate roof, and one reason cited for refusal was that solar water heating was "an unproven technology". Having just won £500k of DECC money to reduce the carbon emissions of our community which has a large proportion of listed solid wall properties we are expecting some "interesting" discussions.

About 2% of the building stock in the country is listed, so the buildings that are listed are, by definition, something special. What's more, I think we all enjoy a characterful built environment, don't we? Or should we just abandon listing altogether and sacrifice it on the altar of the temple of Green? Planning guidance does not prevent change or alteration but requires that any change is properly considered and justified with due regard to what it is that makes the particular building special. A lot of proposed changes are 'refused' because they are ill-conceived and/or would cause irreversible damage. Our historical building stock is a dwindling resource. Every change of a window, every replaced floorboard, every changed door handle is an irreversible loss of historic character and a decision not to be taken lightly. It doesn't mean nothing can change, but it does mean you have to apply a bit of thought and not just jump at the first idea you have and get upset because the LBO has knocked it back.

I know of at least one scheme where external insulation was permitted on a listed building, it just took some justification and considered detailing to get approval.

Thanks Spike. That's about it really.

But each building has to be taken individually, there's no one solution, which owners at times fail to understand.

Posted By: EvBut each building has to be taken individually, there's no one solution

I wish someone wd tell the LBOs that - i.e. that diverse good solutions do exist. OK, I'll go back and look at some of your trials etc Ev.

Not sure what an 'LBO' is. These days there are Conservation Officers and Historic Buildings Officers, and they don't only deal with listed buildings. Not all local authorities employ them however.


Many don't consider their listed building a financial liabilty, and people buy them quite willingly, and enjoy them for what they are. In fact, large numbers of people buy them and spend time and money on them which they may never recoup; a labour of love.

Not sure that 'all 1960-70s house needs knocking down and replacing'
is actually national policy, and listed buildings are a tiny fraction of buildings in this country (and not all are houses either).

http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/server/show/nav.8833

'notorious LBO doctrinaire rigidity '

Bit in yer dreams that one. Not sure that 'extreme' treatment is needed either to most. Good architects can usually deal with listed / historic buildings with sensitivity and care for history ( at least a number I know can) and historic fabric. Not all owners want to spoil them either.

http://www.culture.gov.uk/what_we_do/historic_environment/3330.aspx


From that link above

You will need Adobe Acrobat Viewer to view these documents, if you don't already have it, download a free copy.

Agricultural Buildings (97 Kb)
Commemorative Structures (80 Kb)
Commercial Buildings (114 Kb)
Culture and Entertainment (90 Kb)
Domestic: Introduction (42 Kb)
Domestic (1): vernacular houses (77 Kb)
Domestic (2): town houses (89 Kb)
Domestic (3): suburban and country houses (104 Kb)
Domestic (4): the modern house and housing (92 Kb)
Education (95 Kb)
Garden and Park (95 Kb)
Health and Welfare (98 Kb)
Industrial (106 Kb)
Law and Government (135 Kb)
Maritime and Naval (93 Kb)
Military Buildings (99 Kb)
Places of Worship (156 Kb)
Sport and Recreation (83 Kb)
Street Furniture (77 Kb)
Transport Buildings (80 Kb)
Utilities and Communications (83 Kb)

No-one subsidises me when I sit with the heating off and a thick jumper on. My choice. Many make such choices, and others simply alter homes with sensitivity and care.

The ones to worry about are probably the vast majority of buildings, the unlisted and non-historic.

But this is groundhog day.

No-one subsidises me when I sit with the heating off and a thick jumper on. My choice.

Are you in Housing Association accommodation Ev?

Nope, it was just a mention of the fact.

Why comment then? It gives the impression that you disagree with the analysis.

eg

The ones to worry about are probably the vast majority of buildings, the unlisted and non-historic.

has no apparent basis in fact.