Conservation compendium. Epilogue: The future of conservation engineering

When existing buildings need to be inspected and assessed, the structural engineer is often presented with the challenge of needing X-ray eyes. Lacking such a gift, and despite what clients may assume, the engineer draws instead on knowledge and experience to make value judgements in many situations, with appropriate margins of safety and consideration of appropriate risk incorporated along the way. Codes of practice and British Standards are not to be ignored, but are a useful tool to assist with this process.

This article aims to discuss some of the issues, challenges, tools and techniques available to the practising structural engineer when assessing existing structures. While the article focuses principally on floor structures, the techniques can be used on a range of applications to provide an understanding of how existing structures are actually behaving, rather than how we might think they are working.

Matt Collins, Sales Director at Metsä Wood, explains why the engineered timber specialist's "reimagining" of some iconic buildings from the past – its Plan B programme – has resonated so strongly with the contemporary design community, as well as the reasons high-performance, sustainable, engineered timber systems are increasing their share of the construction market.

With the Institution’s annual People and Papers Awards Luncheon taking place on 8 June, we offer a brief guide to the Papers Awards – and the presidents they are named after. Awards are made annually at the discretion of the Papers Awards Judging Panel.