Conclusion Currently few, if any, Institutes incorporate ICOMOS (or any other) Guidelines in undergraduate or technical college curriculum subjects because, in the main, they concentrate on new build training and education. Given the industry statistics, it could be argued therefore that the need for conservation training and education is much greater than the existing establishment provides. In this sense the COTAC initiative, which spans the full range of industry interests, is all the more critical. At present, it offers the only integrated practical way to address this inadequacy. Because this integration effectively spans across the different layers of interest and involvement, TCRE Division of Historic Scotland is fully committed to the logic of the approach. However, this overall strategy will fail if difficulties are still to be found as to where to obtain appropriate traditional building materials to effect good quality maintenance, repair and conservation works. The physical success, or otherwise, of a completed conservation scheme centres on the ability to ensure an adequate supply of all relevant traditional materials and the availability of properly trained craft skills to work them. Fail on any one aspect and the inferior quality of the finished project is liable to compromise the value of the whole. Partnership involvement is critical if It must have looked good on somebody's drawing board, otherwise how might this example of hard landscaping been specified, costed and laid? Numerous paving schemesaround the country pay scant regard for the local materials, streetcape patterns or designs. Frequently overengineered and over-specified, these designs impose an unfamiliar level of unnecessary sophistication. The habitual use of alien and unsympathetic materials, with a limited wear life, has done much to debase the lloorscape of many towns and cities. At the same time they have created a horrendous additional future maintenance headache and burden. Sadly the laying of such schemesoltens follow the ripping up and disposal of indigenous detailing and materials. A renewed and increased awareness of place, detail, material and form must be achieved to counteract such unnecessary losses. Settingstandardsfor buildingconservation John Preston follows on with a description of the scene in England and Wales. In his article, Ingval Maxwell has outlined the implications of the development of S/NVQs at the professional level in building conservation, and the basis of the Conservation Consultancy NVQ (level 5). I have represented first ACO and now the IHBC on COTAC and on the Sub-Groups which drafted this NVQ and the Conservation Control S/NVQ (level 4), which has been developed specifically for Conservation Officers and others involved in the control process. A third new NVQ in Building SiteManagement (Conservation) (Level 4) is an adaptation of the existing NVQ in Building Site Management. These three N/SVQs have all Context 56 December 1997 now been accredited by the Construction Industry Standing Conference (CISC) and are now going forward for final approval by NCVQ (the National Council for Vocational Qualifications). COTAC has also been involved in developing variants of existing Level 3 craft NVQs to provide conservation and maintenance specialisms in carpentry, plastering, bricklaying, masomy and surface decoration. These are just a start (what about qualifications in traditional roofing, for example?) to the vital task of providing a conservation emphasis within a building industry whose training is focused almost exclusively on new work. When I this approach is to succeed. The need is to work in conjunction with others who have mutual aims and objectives. Those at present working in this field have a unique, but awesome, responsibility. However, their direct involvement is only of a transitionary nature when compared with the age of much of the built heritage. If we manage to achieve a balanced approach, and make the correct decisions, those in the future will applaud us for it. If we fail in this regard we run the risk of altering the evidence of history and of creating an unjustifiable hybrid for future generations. To help prevent this, a better appreciation and understanding is required across the range of all associated disciplines. By its longevity, our existing built heritage well illustrates how traditional building materials can readily satisfy a wide range of requirements. What is now needed is a strategic integration of indust1y, educational providers, and client awareness to recognise this gain. Currently, with all the range of initiatives and activities that we have in place, we are faced with a window of opportunity. It should not be lost, for it could readily encourage an essential, comprehensive, betterinformed and long-lasting revival of the building industries conservation sector. lngva!Maxwel/DA(Dun) RIBA FRIAS FSAScot is Director, Technical Research and Education Division, Historic Scotland. talked some time ago to the British Association of Construction Heads, who provide much of this training, I found a lack of interest which could only be described as frightening given the 50% of building work which is refurbishment rather than new construction. Re-instilling the understanding of traditional materials and methods which used to be the local builder's stock-intrade must be one of the great challenges in conservation today, as is all too evident to those of us involved in grant work! Historic Scotland has grasped this nettle, using an effective combination of pro-active involvement with the 25
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