Are building archaeologists adapting as the market changes?
Channel: Recording Archaeology
Date: 2015-08-03

This is a changing world for buildings archaeologists, but are we keeping up with those changes?
Climate change is a very public and much discussed aspect and this touches many areas of the environment whether it is natural or manmade.  This is becoming common part of our work such as with flood mitigation projects, but also adapting buildings so they have greater economical and environmental resilience to help ensure their survival. 

Generally we are reactive in the services we deliver, often involving train spotting type building recording and more recently producing heritage impact assessments.  Is that enough to carry our profession into the future?
Whether we like to admit it or not buildings archaeology is part of the property, development and construction industry.  That is also going through huge changes both in how it operates and the form of services which they require.

Building information modelling (BIM) systems are required for all government projects by 2016, and the remainder of the industry will follow within a few more years yet are we ready for that?  Can we better protect our historic heritage by being pro-active and being able to suggest alternative design and cost options as well mitigation construction proposals?

Our clients are looking for greater integration of the services from their professional teams deliver. . Are buildings archaeologists gearing-up to provide the necessary levels of skills to protect our heritage?Are we interested in investing in developing a greater range of skills necessary to properly advise our clients on how to that and turn increase our professional profile and guarantee future fee incomes?  
Bob Hill, Historic Building Advisory Service