MANAGING A CONSERVATION

PROJECT
Compiled by:
Lilis Shereena Safiee
Conservation of Historic Building
• The historic building is one that gives us a sense of
wonder and makes us want to know more about the
people and culture that produced it. It has
architectural, aesthetic, history, documentary,
archaeological, economic, social and even political
and spiritual or symbolic values.

• The first impact is always emotional, for it is a

symbol of our cultural identity and continuity
(Bernard M Feilden ; 1994).
Conservation of Historic Building
• All elements of historic buildings tend to deteriorate at a
lesser or greater rate depending upon various factors
such as aging, location and function.

• The term conservation has become familiar to almost

everybody. The term of conservation defined as
guardianship providing for maintenance, preservation or
protection of what presently exists, from being destroyed
or changed in an inappropriate manner. It is a process
which leads to the prolongation of the life of cultural
property and for its utilization now and in the future (
Dr. A. Ghafar Ahmad ; 2008).
Listed building
• National Heritage Act 2005, section 2, describes
heritage buildings or historical buildings are
buildings that have outstanding universal value
from the point of view of history, art or science
in their architecture, homogeneity or their places
in the landscape.
Listed building
• There is various numbers of historical buildings
in Malaysia and the National Heritage
Department has classified them into two types of
list according to their significance towards the
nation. The lists are National Heritage Register
List and also the Heritage Register List. For
instance, the buildings/monuments are Railway
Headquarters Building Kuala Lumpur, Stadhuys
Building Malacca and St. George Church
Penang.
Listed building

HERITAGE

CULTURAL NATURAL

TANGIBLE INTANGIBLE

IMMOVABLE MOVABLE

Diagram by Dr Yahaya (2008)

Listed building
§ Latest Act relating to conservation.
§ To provide for the conservation and preservation
of historic buildings in Malaysia which is
consider as our heritage buildings.
§ The listing of Heritage Buildings and National
Heritage Buildings.
§ Age not exceed 100 years can be listed.
§ Significance : Historical importance, aesthetic
characteristics and social or cultural associations.
§ This act supersedes the Antiquities Act 1976 (Act
168).
 Process of declaration of heritage sites and
buffer zone as stipulated in National Heritage
Act 2005
Neglect of listed building
Cause of neglect of many listed and other old
buildings of architectural or historic merit in
Malaysia are:
• poor professional advice
• lack of contractors with sufficient skill and
construction workers
• lack of skilled supervision and insufficient
supervision
• Poor choice of materials
Process in conservation
• The process involved in conservation of historic
buildings in shown as below (Ahmad, A.G. :
2008)
First Stage: Preliminary Study and Planning

Second Stage: Dilapidation Study

Third Stage: Tender Document Preparation

Fourth Stage: Building Conservation Works

Fifth stage : Handover and management of

historic building
Conservation approach
Conservation approach

REFURBISHMENT work of upgrading, alteration, extension and renovation of

buildings to improve facilities and building lifespan
Basic Principles
§ All heritage conservation work, whether it be of a building, monument or site
should be based upon and preceded by sufficient historical research, site
analysis and documentation to identify and safeguard fully the heritage values
to be conserved.
§ The evolution of the structure(s) and the site should be respected. The
contributions of all periods are important to the historical development and
merit retention. Decisions about appropriate levels of intervention shall be
based upon the heritage values of each contribution.
§ Long-term protection of the historic resource should be balanced with user
requirements and future resource management goals should be identified
prior to undertaking any work.
§ The approach to all heritage conservation projects should be one of minimal
intervention to ensure the maximum preservation of the existing and
authentic physical fabric and retention of the signs of age.
§ Conjecture and the falsification of building elements should be avoided in all
heritage conservation projects.
§ A well-defined maintenance plan should be clearly established in order to
prepare for appropriate level of maintenance and care upon completion.
International heritage conventions,
committees and heritage societies
Heritage building control
• These guidelines are concerned principally with works that affect the special
interest and character of buildings.

A) Alteration and extension

• the own charateristics of building should be respected.

- attempt should be made to retain it.
- use of approriate local material is very desirable.
- alteration should be made based on proper understanding on structure.
- Information about the history and development of building is valued when
considering proposed alteration. F.e feature in the plaster.
• Judging the effect of any alteration or extension towards special interest of
the building such as decorative façade, staircases, decorated plaster ceiling
etc.
• Subsequent addition to heritage building f.e porch, balconies, verandah
do not necessarily detract from the quality of building
• Modern extension should not dominate the existing building in either
scale, material or situation.
Heritage building control
B) Use
- The best way of securing the upkeep building is to
keep them in active use.
- A compatible or adaptive reuse of heritage building
maybe permitted to ensure the survival of building.
- The best use will very often to be used for which the
building was originally designed. But, not all
original uses will now be viable or necessarily be
approriate.
- The nature of uses can change over time,
Heritage building control
C) Height
- The original height of all listed buildings shall be
maintained.
- However, the height can be added based on the
category of building (not primary zone) / accordance
to guideline.
- The height of new development that not in primary
zone maybe allowed up to a maximum of 18 metres.
- The original building height shall be retained,
especially the building front part.
- Additional storey at the rear shall be considered
based on the merit of each case.
Heritage building control
D) Demolition
- There will be occasionally cases where demolition is
unavoidable (f.e neglect of failure to make imaginative
efforts to find new uses, to incorporate them into into
new development).
- Heritage building controls ensure that proposal for
demolition are fully scrutinized before any decision
reached.
- Planning permission will not be given without clear and
convincing evidence that all reasonable efforts have been
made to sustain.
- Redevelopment is economically more attractive to owner
than repair and re-use.
Heritage building control
D) Demolition
- General consideration :
a) Condition of building
b) Cost of repairing and maintaining
c) Value derived from its continue use
d) Adequacy of effort made to retain the building
in use
e) The merits of alternative proposal for the site.
Heritage building control

E) Profile
- The original building profile such as features of
air well, internal court, fore court, rear court etc
shall be retained and restored.
F) Setback
Building setback for front/ back lane/side lane
shall be provided when deemed necessary.
Heritage building control

G) Preservation and conservation

standards
- The works shall follow the guidelines f.e by
elements ( Roof, Wall, Floor, Façade etc)
Routine management and Maintenance
• The conservation of significant places is found
on appropriate routine management and
maintenance
• The values of landscapes and buildings tend to
be quickly obscured or lost if management and
maintenance are discontinued.
• Regular monitoring should inform continual
improvement of planned maintenance and
identify the need for periodic renewal or repair.
Routine management and Maintenance
Periodic renewal
- Periodic renewal of elements of a significant
place, intended or inherent in design is normally
desirable unless any harm caused to heritage
values .
- F.e re-covering roof
- The consequences not undertaking periodic
renewal is normally extensive loss of both fabric
and heritage values.
Routine management and Maintenance
Repair
- Necessary to sustain the heritage values.
- Important to look beyond the immediate need
for action and for a long term consequences.
 Factors that contribute to the poor
maintenance practice for the listed
buildings in Malaysia.
• Lack of concern and conservation knowledge
• Insufficient funding
• Difficulty in implementing conservation
activities
• Delicate maintenance process – high cost
• Economic factor
Inspection to historic building
• The absence of a proper and systematic
maintenance which can be used as benchmark to
carry out the maintenance works or as references
has resulted to various issues - historical buildings
were found to be in a very dirty condition, turned
into rubbish dumpsites, victims of vandalism, decay
and demolished resulting to the loss of our historical
evidences.
• In order to mitigate or to minimise the issues, there
is the need to carry out periodic or scheduled
inspections on all heritage buildings in Malaysia.
Inspection to historic building
▫ Inspection to historic buildings requires an in-depth
diagnosis. Historic or old buildings are very delicate
and sensitive to new method of remedy, it need:
• To quantify amount of defects/deterioration
• To specify types of material and detail of works used
• To many possibilities of causes to the defects
• Involve high cost of rectification/remedial works
• To estimate exact time of completion for doing
remedial works
Roles of Building Surveyor (BS)
• BS primary is to look after building through
specific knowledge and application of building
technology, building standards & building
control
• Their specific skills lie in the preparation of
reports and records following a detailed survey
of the building based on pathological approach
to diagnosis, prognosis and optimal remedial
measures to make good the defect
Roles of Building Surveyor (BS)
• It needs understanding of methods construction,
old and new, how the physical and chemical
properties of materials and components react
together and within environment, economic
factors and relevant legislatives involved
• BS can offer advice to clients regarding building
standards, listed building repair notices,
dangerous buildings, compulsory purchase
orders and other areas of conservation
Roles of Building Surveyor (BS)
• In conclusion, the input of BS covers:
▫ Choice, use and adaptation of materials and
components
▫ Detailed knowledge of building standards, building
control procedures and relevant legislation
▫ Preparation of detailed surveys, reports and records,
▫ Specifications and maintenance work supervision
▫ Maintenance contracts and strategies
▫ Preparation of technical guidelines for heritage
buildings and conservation areas
▫ Understand the importance of the ability to work with
other professionals and with the community involved
with any conservation project
Roles of Building Surveyor (BS)
Examples of BS contributions:
• Conservation of Istana Balai Besar and Restoration
of Rumah Tok Su, Alor Setar – dilapidation study,
Structural assessment of timber elements using
non-destructive testing, Defect Decay Detecting
Drill (DDT)
• Rehabilitation of Dewan Tunku Canselor, UM –
documented all dilapidation resulting from fire and
reported the effect of fire on the adjacent building,
advised on materials and components which should
be retained or replaced
References

• Lecture notes Hasnizan Aksah

• Zuraini Md Ali, Prof Bill Hamilton. A role for
Building Surveyors in Conservation