A conservation engineer is a structural engineer who specializes in the preservation, repair, and adaptive reuse of historic, listed, and heritage buildings.

   I was first involved in listed building when working on the conversion of the former Charing Cross Hospital into a police station in 1987 and gained experience in design of cast-iron, wrought iron, reusing timber and historic brickwork.

   When I became self employed in 1992 I started doing surveys of barns and other redundant buildings for conversion into dwellings to assess their structural safety. I thus learnt about all forms of old wall construction- stone, timber famed and brick walls, and many types of timber roof construction.

   I also developed unique methods of maintaining roof truss integrity when the truss tie beams interrupted through passage in the new first floor. I also designed a simpler way of supporting the existing wall when ground levels had to be reduced that by underpinning which can lead to local collapses.

   I am currently applying to be in included on the CARE register - Conservation Accredited Register of Engineers, via the Institution of Civil Engineers.

   I have recently been involved in grade I and II listed churches for repair to gable wall, assessing strength of bell tower and supports and leaning retaining wall, repair recommendation for timber frame and roof to Lych Gates. I also volunteer for the Friends of Navigation Colliery at Crumlin as a structural consultant for the repair and renovation of the brick built former colliery buildings which are a mixture of Grade II and II* listed buildings.