The CARE conference 2025 will be a day full of specialist talks from those working in the conservation engineering field. Including a keynote speech from Professor Jamie Standing. It will be a fantastic opportunity for you to gain the latest updates and insights in the field, as well as to network with other industry professionals.
The conference will conclude with a dinner that will allow for further discussion and networking.
For those attending in person, we will be offering a range of site visits on 19 and 21 March, including a visit to Bath Abbey to view the recently completed Footprint project.
We actively encourage CARE members or those interested in the conservation field to attend.
In person attendance
This rate includes access to the conference, a two-course hot and cold buffet lunch in the hotel’s restaurant, a three-course dinner with welcome drink on the evening of 20 March and the site visits.
| Ticket |
Price |
| Member of ICE, IStructE or CARE registered |
£150 |
| Non-members |
£183.33 |
Please note: For those attending in person we have secured a preferred room rate of £170 per night inclusive of breakfast. Bookings for rooms need to be made directly with the hotel by calling 03448799000 and quoting INST200325.
Online attendance
| Ticket |
Price |
| Member of ICE, IStructE or CARE registered |
£50 |
| Non-members |
£62.50 |
Climate change hazards and adaptation
- By Joanne Williams
“Chaos theory proves that unpredictability is built into our daily lives. It as a mundane as the rainstorm we cannot predict.” Ian Malcolm, Jurassic Park.
Our changing climate is creating new challenges for those of us in the built environment. With its extreme weather events and a shortage of materials, it will require us to think differently, accept change and learn to adapt.
This talk will seek to highlight the issues we are going to face and the challenge this will have on conservation.
Assembly rooms project
- By Jim Percival and Dr Chris Gross
The National Trust recently took back the running of the Grade I listed Bath Assembly Rooms from BANES council who were long term lease holders.
In this talk, Jim will explore the reasons why the National Trust has taken back control of the building and their plans for it. Chris will then discuss the structural engineering challenges associated with the proposed plans and the solutions that have been developed to allow this fantastic building to be fully opened to the public once more.
The work is currently on site and there is a chance to visit on Friday 21 March.
A new connection to the past: Clore Learning Centre, Roman Baths
- By Margaret Cooke and Kim Rochard
This talk looks at the conversion of a series of listed industrial buildings into a new, award-winning, visitor centre for the world heritage city of Bath with education spaces to support the Roman Baths.
A new storey was added to the existing masonry building to provide a circulation core, service spaces and a new rooftop meeting space. The building is linked to the Roman Baths complex via the York Street undercroft which has previously unseen Roman remains. This new access required alterations to the existing fabric and archaeological investigation.
Margaret and Kim will talk about the challenges of this archaeologically sensitive, city centre site including working with the archaeology, using previous loads to justify new foundation loads and progressive collapse design in listed buildings.
There is an opportunity to visit on Friday 21 March.
Bath Abbey: Footprint project
- By Henry Pinder
Seven years in the planning and three years on site, Bath Abbey’s £20m “Footprint” project started with an ambition to remove the pews and install some loos, and ended up achieving much, much more.
The scope included: replacing the entire floor within the abbey, which was collapsing due to some 6000 burials beneath. Transforming the Georgian vaults outside the abbey to create a welcoming new Learning Centre below ground. Creating a new subterranean ‘Discovery Centre” beneath a 1920’s cloister. Carving out space for a choir school within adjacent the Georgian terrace. Installing a low-carbon heating system which draws its warmth from waste hot spring waters flowing past the site in the Roman Great Drain.
Project engineer Henry Pinder, of Mann Williams, will be giving a talk about the engineering challenges of the project on the Thursday, followed by guided tours to see the results for yourself on the Friday.
Clandon Park, National Trust Project
- By Jackie Heath
After a catastrophic fire in 2015 left only masonry walls standing, the National Trust decided to take the opportunity that Clandon now presented to explore how great houses were made. The project combines meticulous conservation of the precious remaining historic fabric with a new roof and walkways to create public access to the stunning views across Surrey.
Jackie will give an overview of the scheme, before explaining the methods of assessment of the masonry walls and the analysis of movement and defects in the structure. Based on investigation of the evidence revealed, it has been possible to justify less intervention than originally anticipated.
The historical underpinning of Winchester Cathedral: heroic or horrific?
- By Jamie Standing
