Earlier in December, Alex Carter, Partner, chaired The Institution of Structural Engineers’ Managing Existing Structures Conference, a hybrid event that brought together industry leaders to explore strategies for extending the life and value of existing buildings and infrastructure.
Packed with insights and practical solutions, the conference focused on ensuring the safety and durability of ageing assets while driving innovation and change across the sector.
Key themes discussed included:
- “Do nothing” as a true structural engineering skill
- Delivering retrofit as a core competency
- Persistence and detective work in structural assessments
- Balancing survey costs and coverage as an ongoing challenge
- Starting design with large unknowns and managing uncertainty
- The importance of taking clients, architects, and the full project team on the journey
Alex reflected, "Chairing this conference was a privilege because the themes we explored are critical to the future of our built environment. Building safety today means structural integrity is non-negotiable, while the climate emergency demands that we decarbonise and embrace reuse and repurposing. The discussions highlighted that climate resilience is no longer optional, it’s essential as extreme weather events become more frequent.
"What struck me most was the ingenuity on display, from overcoming gaps in historical building data to leveraging digital tools and AI for structural monitoring and survey interpretation. These innovations show that retrofitting isn’t just a technical challenge, it’s a journey through uncertainty, where persistence and creativity lead us to successful reuse. Chairing this event reinforced how vital collaboration and forward-thinking are in navigating that ‘sea of fog’ towards a sustainable future."
