Preserving history: Careful heating design is key

摘要

Achieving listed' status is a key milestone in the lifetime of a building. Once confirmed, the building is entitled to legal protection against demolition or any physical alterations. While buildings are graded by importance or historical significance, the level of legal protection is the same across every grade. Under the Planning, Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas Act (1990), that means Listed Building Consent must be obtained before beginning either internal or external work. A decision by the owner of a listed property to refurbish its heating system is likely to boil down to two factors; a necessity to replace failing equipment, or the promise of energy savings which could be achieved by upgrading outdated systems to more efficient technology. But what should heating engineers be aware of when taking on such projects, which can be logistically complex?