Heritage construction specialist
Construction and the built environment
Level 5 -
Ensure the maintenance of heritage properties through construction projects that repair, restore, adapt, alter or retrofit historic buildings and heritage assets.
Reference: OCC1105
Status:
SOC 2020 sub unit groups:
- 5319/99 Construction and building trades n.e.c.
Technical Education Products
Employers involved in creating the standard:
Historic England, National Trust, English Heritage, Churches Conservation Trust, House of Parliament Restoration & Renewal, Houghtons of York, Canal & Rivers Trust, Stonewest, Centre for Building Conservation Studies, Landmark Trust, DBR Ltd, Kierson Timber Restoration, Skillington Workshop Ltd, Owlsworth IJP, Burghley House Preservation Trust, Bridgett Conservation, Quadriga Contracts.
Summary
This occupation is found in the historic environment, construction, building conservation and cultural heritage sectors.
The broad purpose of the occupation is to ensure the maintenance of heritage properties through construction projects that repair, restore, adapt, alter or retrofit historic buildings and heritage assets, doing so according to their significance and performance. Historic buildings and heritage assets are generally considered to include whole buildings, parts of buildings, ancillary structures, monuments, and other architectural features such as garden structures, walls and paving that were built before 1919, or those that are built using traditional methods and materials, including structures protected by legislation such as Listed Buildings, Scheduled Ancient Monuments and those within Conservation Areas. Heritage Construction Specialists oversee work related to the fabric of a building or structure and its internal and external features and settings. They combine practical construction skills with their knowledge of traditional materials, practices and the way each building performs holistically, to inform the conservation and construction techniques they use when managing and leading on historic building projects.
The Heritage Construction Specialist is typically site-based, including outdoor working, working at height, and working away from home, including rural and remote locations, but normal duties also include workshop operations, office working and attendance at meetings with stakeholders, clients or colleagues. They will typically need to be able to drive.
An individual in this role might typically have a trade or profession, such as – but not exclusively – woodworker, bricklayer, stonemason, plasterer, metalworker or surveyor, and have specialist knowledge and experience of the requirements of working at heritage properties.
In their daily work, an employee in this occupation interacts with a range of clients, colleagues and stakeholders in the public, private and third sectors, within organisations of any size. Heritage Construction Specialists might work alone or as a more senior member of a small team. They may oversee or coordinate other personnel or subcontractors and will sometimes work with other heritage professionals, such as a conservation officer or architect, to develop the detailed conservation solutions for adapting older buildings and structures.
An employee in this occupation will be responsible for assessing the condition of historic and traditional structures; understanding the significance and history of the buildings and structures they work on; conserving and enhancing the fabric of a building or structures according to its significance, performance characteristics and condition; integration of new systems (for example electrical, mechanical) into heritage buildings; creating recommendations and construction work plans, contributing to the costing and conducting of construction work to appropriate professional and conservation standards; liaising with specialist contractors, stakeholders and clients; documenting their work to appropriate conservation standards; communicating their work to the public. They need to be able to work alone or as part of a team, and make decisions about work plans for themselves and others.
Employers involved in creating the standard:
Historic England, National Trust, English Heritage, Churches Conservation Trust, House of Parliament Restoration & Renewal, Houghtons of York, Canal & Rivers Trust, Stonewest, Centre for Building Conservation Studies, Landmark Trust, DBR Ltd, Kierson Timber Restoration, Skillington Workshop Ltd, Owlsworth IJP, Burghley House Preservation Trust, Bridgett Conservation, Quadriga Contracts.
Typical job titles include:
Keywords:
Knowledge, skills and behaviours (KSBs)
Duties
Duty D1
Work to the principles, philosophy and ethics of conservation to ensure best-practice on heritage construction projects.
Duty D2
Engage in the selection and recommendation of appropriate materials and construction techniques for conservation, maintenance, repair, alteration and renovation of heritage assets.
Duty D3
Assess the physical nature and condition of heritage assets and features in order to be able to engage in the selection and recommendation of appropriate materials and construction techniques for conservation, maintenance, repair, alteration and renovation of heritage assets.
Duty D4
Understand the wider environmental and historic context of a heritage asset or traditional building to adapt the approach to recognise the impact this context has on construction work.
Duty D5
Assess, and provide advice on, sustainability in the historic environment.
Duty D6
Provide formal and informal oral and written advice and professional judgments to clients, colleagues, external stakeholders and others on heritage assets.
Duty D7
Document work undertaken by keeping written and photographic records, and be able to draw or sketch to communicate understanding of a building feature or repair.
Duty D8
Carry out practical tasks where appropriate in accordance with own skillset and the needs of a project.
Duty D9
Ensure work practices comply with appropriate legal and contractual requirements.
Duty D10
Assist architects, other specifiers and clients with the development of detailed design or specification on a construction project, within the context of that project.
Duty D11
Provide oversight and manage or supervise staff, volunteers, external specialist contractors or others, review and monitor others’ work to technical standards.
Duty D12
Ensure health and safety protocols are followed at all times.
Duty D13
Raise awareness, appreciation and understanding of historic and traditional buildings, methods and materials and promote good conservation practice.
Occupational Progression
This occupational progression map shows technical occupations that have transferable knowledge and skills.
In this map, the focused occupation is highlighted in yellow. The arrows indicate where transferable knowledge and skills exist between two occupations. This map shows some of the strongest progression links between the focused occupation and other occupations.
It is anticipated that individuals would be required to undertake further learning or training to progress to and from occupations. To find out more about an occupation featured in the progression map, including the learning options available, click the occupation.
Progression decisions have been reached by comparing the knowledge and skills statements between occupational standards, combined with individualised learner movement data.
Technical Occupations
Levels 2-3
Higher Technical Occupations
Levels 4-5
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Levels 6-7
Construction and the built environment