Services
The practice can provide a full architectural service from inception to completion, and works in strict accordance with the RIBA Code of Conduct. Hilary Brightman also offers a specialist consultancy service for listed buildings.
Aims
- To provide clients with the best professional advice and service.
- To preserve and enhance historic buildings and their settings.
- To create sensitively designed new buildings in the historic environment.
Repairs
Condition Surveys
Repairs to historic fabric
Alterations and extensions
Sensitive alterations to listed buildings; sympathetic extensions; upgrading historic buildings to improve performance in relation to
- Disabled access
- Means of escape in case of fire
- Thermal and acoustic insulation
Restoration
Working with Building Preservation Trusts to restore Buildings-at-Risk
Enabling development to raise funds for historic building repairs and restoration
New uses for old buildings
Feasibility studies
Repair and conversion of redundant agricultural and industrial buildings for new uses
New buildings in historic settings
New housing development
One-off houses Garden studios
Green Issues
The preservation of old buildings goes hand-in-hand with current thinking on green issues because it not only ensures that our historic environment is secured, but it also prolongs the life of the energy embodied in their construction. With careful upgrading of thermal insulation and draught proofing, historic buildings can be warm and dry and not cost a fortune to heat. Where possible, we will specify natural materials such as sheep’s wool insulation, which is truly sustainable and can be locally sourced.
With regard to green issues, we seek to
- Promote traditional construction methods in new work and use locally sourced, sustainable materials such as timber and thatch.
- Rediscover how to harvest natural energy sources, for example by making best use of passive solar energy through good design.
- Explore how alternative methods of heating can be incorporated into a project, such as using boilers that run on bio-mass fuel.
However, we do not profess to be experts in energy saving technology and would always wish to work with a services engineer to find the best solution.
