Building Pathology

About the Author xi

Preface to Third Edition xiii

1 Introduction 1

What is building pathology? 1

Why take a holistic approach to understanding buildings? 2

The relevance of building pathology 6

The principles and practice of building pathology 7

References 7

2 Understanding Buildings 9

What is a building? 9

Perceptions of buildings 13

Classification of buildings 16

Requirements of buildings 17

Our expectations of buildings 23

The way forward 27

Reference 28

Further reading 28

3 Building Performance 29

Why do buildings stand up? 29

Building structures 31

Building materials 36

Understanding building materials 37

Sources of building materials 39

Timber 42

Plant material 47

Stone 48

Ceramics 54

Binders and concrete 58

Metals 65

Glass 71

Bituminous products 73

Modern materials 74

Unusual materials 77

Building services 77

The building as a whole 82

Understanding buildings and building performance 83

Assessing building performance 83

How the construction industry needs to change 85

References 86

Further reading 87

4 Defects, Damage and Decay 89

What is a building defect? 89

Nature of building defects 90

Causes and effects of defects, damage and decay 95

Atmospheric and climatic action 98

Excess moisture 108

Chemical, physical and biological action 116

Movement 135

Fire 137

Human factors 139

References 142

Further reading 142

5 Survey and Assessment 145

Fault-finding 145

Building inspections and surveys 146

Assessment of defects 154

Severity of defects 155

Prioritising defects and remedial works 157

Unoccupied buildings and sites 158

Redundant and ruined buildings 159

Diagnosis and prognosis of defects 162

Non-destructive investigations 169

Monitoring defects 175

Environmental conditions 179

References 180

Further reading 180

6 Principles into Practice 183

Putting principles into practice 183

The changing fortunes of buildings 183

Looking forward by looking backwards 187

Cross-laminated timber buildings and their common defects 191

Understanding buildings: St Fagans National Museum of History 202

Relationship between fire and building pathology 208

Carrying out inspections and working at height 224

Conservation management plan for Marx Memorial Library 230

Training surveyors using script concordance testing 239

Scientific investigations at Hill House 243

Monitoring seismic movement at a church in Corfu 248

Diagnosing defects in a Martello tower 251

Using simple measurements to understand a problem 255

Bats in churches 258

Lincoln Cathedralâs west front and Romanesque frieze 262

Planned preventative maintenance for Britten Pears Arts 270

Retrofit for rural National Trust buildings 279

New Court â" a retrofit workflow by ArchiMetrics Ltd 285

Buildings on paper and in practice 292

Heritage, health and well-being 302

Dealing with chemical contamination in a building 306

Sustainable housing for the future 315

Lessons to be learned 319

7 Building Management and Aftercare 321

Planning the future 321

What can be done with buildings? 321

Managing building and change 324

Limitations of existing buildings 325

Finding the right use for a building 327

Making use of historic buildings and sites 328

Principles of conservation and building repairs 331

Principles of building maintenance 335

Planned preventive maintenance 337

Principles of retrofit 338

Climate resilience and mitigation 339

Planning for disasters and emergencies 341

Managing unoccupied buildings and sites 343

Heritage crime 346

Health and the built environment 347

Issues of sustainability and sustainable development 355

Stewardship and assessments of value 357

Buildings for the present and the future 359

References 360

Further reading 360

Appendix A Requirements of Approved Documents Supporting Schedule 1 to Building Regulations 2010 365

Appendix B Hazard Identification Checklist 381

Appendix C Useful Contacts 389

Appendix D Warning Bells 395

Glossary 399

Index 405