Learn how to care for heritage buildings and develop practical skills on this two-and-a-half-day short course at CAT.

This practical course is ideal for anyone interested or involved in the care, repair, or management of historic buildings. It will help you balance energy efficiency, environmental impact, comfort and occupant health while preserving the building’s heritage.

On the course, you’ll develop a strong foundation in heritage conservation principles while gaining valuable experience working directly with traditional materials and assessment frameworks.

Key Information

• Duration: 2.5 days
• Date: Tuesday 21 April to Thursday 23 April 2026
• Start and finish times: starts at 1.30pm and ends at 4pm on the last day
• Fees: £195
• Includes: tuition and lunch.
• What to bring: Sturdy footwear and waterproof clothing.
• Terms and Conditions:

  • You must be 18 years or over to attend our courses.
  • For full list of terms and conditions click here

What you will learn

The course has two primary complementary threads:

1. Lime: From raw material to practical application

The first demonstration and workshop is an opportunity to see how Lime is manufactured from its raw material, utilising both a small scale ‘field kiln’ and a micro kiln to convert Limestone into Lime.

You’ll then get hands-on experience using the freshly made Lime for pointing and plastering, guided by expert tutors.

2. Assessing the significance and condition of historic buildings

Working alongside some of CAT’s degree students, you’ll take part in a structured assessment of a historic building on site.

This session will provide you with a practical framework for evaluating heritage significance and condition—skills you can apply to your own projects, organisations, or future work.

Interspersed with these Workshop activities will be a series of tours, talks and opportunities to discuss with our expert tutors about your own projects.

Who is the course for:

This course is aimed at anyone who would like to gain knowledge in skills in the management of heritage buildings.

No prior building skills are required for this course.