ICOMOS-UK Symposium: Heritage in Transition – Skills and Approaches for Sustainability

Date: Friday 11th April 2025

Venue: University of Liverpool

ICOMOS-UK, in partnership with the University of Liverpool, is running a one-day symposium exploring the evolving relationship between heritage preservation and sustainability. The event will focus on how to sustainably adapt and retrofit heritage buildings to improve energy efficiency, enhance thermal comfort, and meet affordability needs while preserving their heritage values. What skills and approaches are required to do this? What might need to done differently?

The symposium brings together academics, policymakers, practitioners, and emerging professionals to tackle these questions through:

• Expert-led discussions featuring international, national, and local case studies demonstrating successful solutions and addressing ongoing challenges
• Interactive panel sessions highlighting gaps in skills and education required for sustainable heritage management
• Networking opportunities for collaborative knowledge exchange

This symposium offers practical insights and innovative strategies for embedding sustainability in heritage conservation.

For in-person tickets, please click here.

For online tickets, please click here.

In-person tickets include lunch, the evening reception, and the heritage walking tour of Liverpool.

Session One: Keynote 

Dr Ataa Alsalloum, Senior lecturer at the Liverpool School of Architecture, ICOMOS UK Trustee and Chair of the Education Committee

Prof. Peter Buse, Dean of the School of the Arts, University of Liverpool

Prof. Katie Atkinson, Associate Pro-Vice-Chancellor and Director of the Interdisciplinary Centre for Sustainability Research, University of Liverpool, speaking on the topic, ‘Introduction to the Interdisciplinary Centre for Sustainability Research’

Clara Arokiasamy OBE, President, ICOMOS-UK

Keynote: Prof. Soumyen Bandyopadhyay, Sir James Stirling Chair in Architecture, University of Liverpool, speaking on the topic, ‘The Heritage Institute: Advancing Heritage and Sustainability – International case studies’

Session Two: Navigating Challenges and Opportunities in Heritage Sustainability 

Rob Woodside, Conservation & Estates Director at English Heritage, speaking on the topic, ‘From Principles to Practice: Sustainable Conservation in Action’  

Peter Cox FRSA, Managing Director Carrig Conservation, Ireland, speaking on the topic, ‘Successful Energy Efficiency of Heritage and Traditional Buildings’ 

Joanna Saady, IHBC Trustee and South East Branch Chair, Director of Ecotecture, speaking on the topic, ‘Reimagining St John’s Seminary: The Adaptive Reuse of a Purpose-Built Victorian Catholic Institution’  

Session Three: Bridging the Gap: Skills and Education for Sustainable Heritage 

Joanna Saady, IHBC Trustee and South East Branch Chair, Director of Ecotecture 

Dr Ataa Alsalloum, Senior lecturer at the Liverpool School of Architecture, ICOMOS UK Trustee and Chair of the Education Committee   

Juliet Baillie, Heritage Skills Manager, Historic England, speaking on the topic, Addressing the Skills & Education Gaps in Heritage and Sustainability 

Francesca Benetti, Historic Environment Forum Task Group Manager, Green Skills Task Group, speaking on the topic, Building a Sustainable Future for the Heritage Sector: Recent Work on Green Skills 

Andrew Shepherd, IHBC Trustee and Chair of Membership and Ethics Committee, and Principal of Andrew Shepherd Architects 

Session Four:  Reflections and key take aways – panel discussion with the speakers from the day, and audience questions 

To Close: Tour and Reception – delegates will be offered a special post-conference Guided Liverpool Heritage Walking Tour, followed by an evening reception. 

For further information, please contact: [email protected]

The event is kindly supported by the Institute of Historic Building Conservation (IHBC).