Annual Report 2004 - The Office of Public Works

Conservation
The Conservation Unit, in addition to executing major building conservation projects, continued with a
number of conservation research initiatives, including:
• Developing a building limestone database with the State Laboratory and the Geological Survey of
Ireland
• Conservation research into historic paints under joint agreement with the State Laboratory.
• Developing a research programme and establishing collaborators to share in undertaking of specific
practice related subjects: fire safety (historic buildings); stone cantilevers; sculpted and carved
elements; ironwork
• The recording and documentation of interventions in Historic Properties and other Protected
Structures with the School of Architecture, U.C.D.
Sustainable Development and Universal Access policy
• The OPW SD+UA Workgroup (Workgroup on Sustainable Design and Universal Access) continues to
research best practice, methods and standards for Architectural Services
• The Green Design Audit Checklist, a self-auditing tool, is available on the intranet to assist the
design process at various stages
• The Green Team (Partnership Committee Workgroup) was launched in June 2003. The team
comprises of volunteer members from all divisions of the OPW including regional offices, with the
intention of achieving more environmentally friendly work practices and a sustainable approach to
the services provided
• The Accessibility Audit Checklist is available on the OPW intranet site to assist designers audit
design to comply with the current statutory building regulations
• The OPW currently have fifteen qualified access auditors to assist in auditing of buildings within the
State property portfolio following a request from a Government Department
• The Design for All Exhibition, presented by the OPW in conjunction with the Department of Justice,
Equality and Law reform and the Institute of Design and Disability completed its tour in 2004.
Following its appearance in Malaga, Spain the exhibition traveled to the RHK & City West in Dublin,
Killarney & Tralee in Kerry and then returned to the Atrium in OPW.
• During 2004 the SD+UA Workgroup provided assistance and advice in the development of the
generic output specification to be used in the Government Decentralisation Programme.
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