Engine Shed

Look closely at traditional buildings and you’ll find lime everywhere. From smooth limewash to textured harling, traditional lime finishes help old buildings breathe, shed moisture and age gracefully. Our blog breaks down the different types of historic lime finishes, how they were made, and why they still matter for repairs today: https://blog.engineshed.scot/2024/08/06/historic-lime-finishes-traditional-buildings

Originally built between 1896 and 1913 as a military goods and transfers shed, the Engine Shed is now over 100 years old. After extensive restoration, it became our traditional building conservation centre. Re-using historic buildings protects heritage and is a powerful way to reduce construction waste and carbon footprints. Discover 4 surprising facts about how we combined traditional materials with sustainable principles: recycling, restoring, and re-use - https://blog.engineshed.scot/2019/10/07/4-facts-about-sustainable-building

From crofters’ cottages in the Western Isles to villages like Swanston on the outskirts of Edinburgh, Scotland’s thatched buildings tell a unique story of local materials, skills and place. In 2014/2015, a survey of Scotland's thatched buildings recorded just over 200 buildings, revealing both the richness of our thatching traditions, and how fragile they are. Once common, many thatched roofs have vanished due to changing land use, lost skills and the challenge of sourcing traditional materials.

With fewer than a handful of practising thatchers and difficulty in sourcing thatching materials, action is needed to protect what remains. Read more about thatch in our new Traditional Materials Framework: https://www.engineshed.scot/publications/publication/?publicationId=c32700f9-7b61-4168-b003-b419010d8ef9

Energy Performance Certificates can tell us how energy efficient a building is. Did you know that the way these certificates are calculated changed last year? Overall, this was good news for Scotland's (pre-1919) traditional buildings because they're likely to be assessed more accurately than ever before. If you want to dive deeper into how they're assessed and what this means for traditional buildings, throwback to our blog from when the changes came into place: https://ow.ly/LKgR50YXGRq

Stone cleaning is a hot topic 🔥! When did the craze for cleaning stone buildings begin? The exact moment is unclear, but many trace it back to France in 1959, when a law requiring homeowners in Paris to clean their building facades was revived.

By the early 1960s, London embraced the trend, where the effect of jetblack Portland limestone emerging sparkling white from under layers of grime was even more sensational.

From there, the desire to clean spread rapidly across the UK, with prestigious public buildings leading the way.

But here’s the catch: early cleaning techniques were often the most damaging, leaving a legacy of harm to historic stonework.

Our INFORM guide explores how the trend started, the impact on historic buildings and lessons learned for conservation today.

Learn more: https://www.engineshed.scot/publications/publication/?publicationId=cfcd9855-eff4-40d7-9ccf-a59500b10077

Scotland’s traditional buildings have been influenced by locally available materials such as sandstone, limestone, granite, schist and other rocks for the last 5,000 years. But did you know that for the greater part of Scottish history, earth construction was dominant? For hundreds of years in Scotland, people built up and passed on earth building knowledge. However, by the end of the 20th century, much of this knowledge had been completely lost. It's knowledge well worth preserving. Find out why: https://blog.engineshed.scot/2021/04/21/scotlands-earth-building-past-and-future

Down to Earth: Scotland's Earth Building Past and Future - Engine Shed For hundreds of years in Scotland, people built up and passed on earth building knowledge. Explore Scotland's earth building past and future.

If you own a traditional building (typically pre-1919) in Scotland, it’s important to understand that these homes behave differently from modern ones. Built with natural, locally sourced materials like stone, timber, lime, and slate, they are designed to be vapour open/’breathable’ – allowing moisture to move and disperse.

Using modern impermeable materials for repairs, such as cement mortars or masonry paints, can trap moisture and lead to damp, mould, and even structural damage.

Always use compatible materials and maintain the building’s ability to “breathe.”

Download our Short Guide for more practical advice on maintaining traditional buildings: https://www.engineshed.scot/publications/publication/?publicationId=9b3ca2e8-afcc-42ba-92c3-a59100fde12b

Fancy a tour of Glasgow's key heritage sites? As part of our Introduction to Building Conservation in June, we'll be exploring the Necropolis - the "City of the Dead" - and the magnificent Glasgow Cathedral.

At the Necropolis, we'll inspect the many grand and grandiose tombs and mausoleums constructed by Victorian Glasgow’s mercantile elite and hear about memorial conservation.

At Glasgow Cathedral, we'll learn about the current stone repairs to the steeple and explore them from the scaffolding!

You can join by signing up to our five-day course, or buying a ticket for the single day: https://ow.ly/LFvB50YY5JC

Scotland’s traditional building materials were shaped by place, climate and generations of learning. They make up buildings like our homes, workplaces and shops, giving character to our streets. But there are challenges with the supply and use of some of these materials, ultimately putting buildings that form the backbone of our everyday lives at risk. This is why we’ve launched the Traditional Materials Framework (TMF), a practical tool to guide our research and activity. Our Traditional Materials Framework supports the sustainable supply and best‑practice use of traditional materials in Scotland.

Developed through extensive engagement and research, the TMF focuses on seven key material groups and four clear priorities: understanding the material, identifying environmental, economic, social and cultural impacts, supporting sustainable supply and enabling best practice use.

The TMF will drive collaboration, identify opportunities, focus investment, and deliver meaningful outcomes for Scotland’s historic and traditional buildings. It will help address supply challenges, fill knowledge gaps about these materials and strengthen resilience.

The bottom line is that we must make sure Scotland's traditional building materials remain accessible, understood and used effectively. Without them, it would be impossible to repair and maintain traditionally constructed buildings. That's around 18% of the buildings in Scotland!

If you work in the heritage or construction sectors, or if you're a building owner, it is well worth a read: https://www.historicenvironment.scot/archives-and-research/publications/publication/?publicationId=c32700f9-7b61-4168-b003-b419010d8ef9

Heather thatching is a practice almost unique to Scotland. But before a single bundle is laid on a roof, there’s a careful, skilled process of finding, choosing and hand‑picking the right heather. It's an essential but often overlooked part of traditional Scottish thatching. Our blog shares why heather picking matters, how it’s done, and why this rare skill is vital to keeping Highland and Island thatching going: https://ow.ly/xLkO50YVr4K