What is BS EN 16096 - Condition survey and report of built cultural heritage about?
BS EN 16096 is a European standard that gives guidance on the condition survey of built cultural heritage. BS EN 16096 provides guidelines for a condition survey of built cultural heritage. It states how the condition of the built cultural heritage should be assessed, documented, recorded, and reported on.
It encompasses the evaluation of the condition of a building or other structure by visual observation, together – when necessary – with simple measurements. The relevant data and documentation on the built cultural heritage should be collected and included in BS EN 16096.
BS EN 16096 can be applied to all built cultural heritage such as buildings, ruins, bridges, and other standing structures. Built cultural heritage comprises both protected and non-protected significant buildings and structures. Archaeological sites and cultural landscapes are not dealt with in BS EN 16096.
BS EN 16096 does not specify how to carry out a diagnosis (3.7) of the built cultural heritage. For listed/protected immovable heritage, specific national rules for expert documentation and works may apply.
BS EN 16096 may be applied to:
- Identify maintenance measures and the need for further investigation and diagnostics of damage
- Define procurement needs and the requirement for detailed specification
- Provide a unified method to obtain comparative data, when carrying out a condition survey for a group of buildings or a region
Who is BS EN 16096 - Condition survey and report of built cultural heritage for?
BS EN 16096 on the condition survey and report of built cultural heritage is useful for:
- Investigation department of cultural heritage
- Archaeologist
- Scientific and Cultural Organization
- Government bodies or authorities of cultural heritage
- Heritage management department
Why should you use BS EN 16096 - Condition survey and report of built cultural heritage?
Knowledge and understanding of the material evidence of built cultural heritage and the information on its current state is important as it helps to specify measures necessary to preserve structures in an appropriate condition and ensure that the maintenance required to keep them at this level is well defined. Built cultural heritage in BS EN 16096 refers to standing structures that have an architectural, cultural, or historical value.
BS EN 16096 is for use by the surveyor as requested by the end-user. The results are for use by the owner and/or the manager of the built cultural heritage. This does not preclude that the owner/manager may use this standard as a guide for assessing the condition.
BS EN 16096 offers a framework; it should be recognized that every finish offers a different challenge to a survey and interpretation.
BS EN 16096 specifies the purpose of the condition survey of built cultural heritage to be located, identify, interpret, and, if possible, date current and previous finishes. Such surveys help to deepen our general knowledge of the significance of the area under investigation, its history, and alterations, assess its condition, and to plan for future conservation.
