AIBS The Birth of Building Surveying

September 2016 Special Feature

Building Surveying Special Feature 2 nd September 2016

THE BIRTH OF BUILDING SURVEYING

Remembering the 350th Anniversary of the Great Fire of London Page 1

September 2016 Special Feature

AFTER THE FLAMES The History of Building Surveying The building surveying profession as we know it today can be said to have been born from the devastating effects of the Great Fire of London on September 2nd 1666, marking 350 years this year.

The fire started in a bakery in Pudding Lane and spread throughout London. It burned ferociously for 5 days, with small fires lingering for weeks afterwards. More than 13,000 houses were destroyed, leaving approximately 80,000 people without homes, and with 6 verified deaths.

However, this low death rate can be misleading. Though the recorded death toll from the conflagration seems astoundingly low, it is important to note that only the deaths of the upper class were recorded.

The casualties of the middle and lower class, often living in the least accessible and most densely clustered areas of the city, are left to speculation. Neil Hanson notes in The Great Fire of London: In That Apocalyptic Year, 1666 that the casualties could realistically number “several hundred and quite possibly several thousand�.

Below: A plan of the city and liberties of London after the Dreadful Conflagration in the year 1666 (1756), by Wenceslaus Hollar. The added coloured overlay indicates the progression of he fire over the duration of the disaster, beginning in a bakery on Pudding Lane.

Sunday 2 September 1666

Monday 3 September

Tues & Wed 4 - 5 September

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September 2016 Special Feature The unprecedented destruction caused by the fire was a result of a lack of planning and regulation in the construction industry during this period.

The first recorded building code can be traced back nearly 4000 years to the code of Hammurabi, a Babylonian ruler, while the first mention of building control officers can be found in Plato’s laws, from 360 B.C.E. in ancient Greece. These officers were known as Wardens of the City and one of their identified duties was to ensure that buildings were constructed in accordance with the law.

Following this disaster the Act for the Rebuilding of the City of London established that houses had to be built out of fire resistant materials that the width of streets must be adequate to act as fire breaks, and that buildings in certain locations had to obey specific rules regarding wall thickness What Plato’s law was perhaps the first and storey height. to realise was there was no point having building codes and laws to provide for Furthermore, the Act called for: community safety if there was nobody to “…one or more discreet and intelligent person enforce those laws. or persons knowledgeable in the ar t of building to see the said rules well and truly observed.” Unfortunately, this lesson of history was (18-19 Chas II, 8) forgotten, contributing to the devastating Great Fire of London. Fortunately, the Although generally thought of as a recent lesson that building laws required skilled innovation, building regulation has a long and knowledgeable people to enforce them history. Whilst it was generally thought was learnt following the Great Fire, and the that the London Rebuilding Act of 1667 profession of building surveying has existed contained the first mention of building since in the interest of community safety. surveying, the profession actually has a much longer history.

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There must also be superintendents of roads and buddings, who will have a care of men, that they may do no harm... Three kinds of officers will thus have to be appointed, in order that the city may be suitably provided according to her needs. Those who have the care of the city shall be called wardens of the city - Plato, Laws VI

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September 2016 Special Feature

LAYING FOUNDATIONS Building Surveying in Australia In Australia, the formalisation of building surveying can be traced to the Sydney Building Act of 1837 and also that of the Melbourne Building Act of 1849.

In more recent times, building surveyors primarily came from Local Government, however privatisation has seen the expansion of the profession.

Using language similar to the London View in the townAct of Sydney [picture] these / Rebuilding of 1667, Building Acts required that surveyors be skilled in the art of building to see that the said rules and regulations throughout the town of Sydney and Melbourne were observed.

The role of building surveyors has evolved into many professional disciplines within the building industry, as professionals who assess, certify and inspect building works; as consultants working in design, fire safety, energy efficiency and access solutions; as well as educators and expert witnesses in Where the Sydney Building Act differed support of the legal process, just to name a however was that building surveyors were few. required to swear an oath upholding the rules and regulations of the Act. As the profession continues to grow, the building surveyor of the future will be As this story has demonstrated, building a well-educated, tech savvy professional surveying has a long and proud history of who will be well equipped to deal with the ensuring that buildings are constructed in rapid advancement and impact of modern accordance with the rules and codes for the technology and innovative construction benefit and protection of the community. methods in the building and construction industry Left: Detail from View in the town of Sydney, (1853)

by Conrad Martens.

A watercolour depiction of the architecture common in the town of Sydney following the 1837 Sydney Building Act.

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September 2016 Special Feature

A LOOK INTO THE PAST An Excerpt from ‘The Sydney Gazette and New South Wales Advertiser’, June 24, 1837 “By His Excellency’s Command,

E. DEAS THOMSON. 1. “ A Bill for regulating Buildings and Party Walls ; and for preventing mischief by Fire within the Town of Sydney.”

It is proposed to adopt the regulations in respect to Buildings and Party Walls, and the prevention of mischiefs by Fire, contained in the Act of the British Parliament 14 Gen. III. c. 78, commonly called the London Building Act, so far as the same may be applicable to the Town of Sydney.

Buildings to be divided into six different rates.

Regulations as to the external and Party Walls and Chimnies, as well as with respect to the District Surveyors to be the same as provided in the above mentioned Act of Parliament.

No Bow Windows to be built extending beyond the line of Street, except projections for decorations, shop windows, and stall-boards.

No stack of Warehouses to be above thirty-five squares, including internal and external walls.

No stables to contain more than twenty-five squares of building, including internal and external walls.

No funnel or pipe for the conveyance of smoke or steam shall be fixed next any public street.

Every Building contrary to the Act declared to be a common nuisance ; and the builder and owner to enter into a recognizance to demolish the same.

If owners neglect to take down ruinous houses after notice, the magistrates in Petty Sessions upon information on oath, to order the same to be taken down or secured.

Not more than ten gallons of turpentine to be distilled (together, or of oil and turpentine to be boiled together at once in houses contiguous to others. Not to prevent Shipwrights from boiling or mixing oil and other materials for paying Ships or Vessels.

Fire Engines and Ladders to be kept in known places, and fire cooks to be fixed on the Mains.

Penalty for Chimnies being allowed to take Fire.

Money insured on houses burnt down to be laid out, if required, for re-building the same.

Free servants by carelessness firing a house, to be liable to a pecuniary penalty.

Constables to repair to buildings on fire to render all necessary assistance.

Appeal to be made to the Quarter Sessions, from decisions by Justices under this Act.”

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September 2016 Special Feature

CHALLENGES FOR THE PROFESSION Non-Conforming Products While it has been 350 years since the Great Fire of London, there is no doubt that fire continues to be a challenge for Governments who develop regulations, and building surveyors who work to protect the community’s safety and property.

The Lacrosse fire in Melbourne’s Docklands in 2014 was a demonstration of the challenges still being faced by Government and building surveyors in protecting the community from fire.

Since the Great Fire of 1666, trade has progressively increased and the world has become a much smaller place with quick and easy transport opening up more opportunities to even the most isolated of countries like Australia.

to Australian codes and standards. This is especially so in the case of asbestos where in recent time in a number of cases, asbestos has been found in building products coming into Australia destined for Australian buildings. There are other products such as the Infinity electrical cables, but it is those sub-standard products that are yet to be identified that provide the greatest challenge and the greatest cause for concern.

Ensuring community health and safety is the core goal of the building surveying profession

Whilst providing a wider range of products at lower prices, this ‘open and free trade’ with differing countries now presents another challenge for building surveyors, Government and the general community.

This challenge is that of “non-conforming building products.”

Maintaining community health and safety represents an on-going challenge when confronted with the range of natural and technological challenges that exist The potential dangers posed to the built environment by natural hazards were While this ‘free trade’ has benefits to the graphically illustrated by the recent and economy, it is very much a challenge for tragic Amatrice earthquake where over Government to ensure that all products, 290 people lost their lives. regardless of their point of origin, conform Page 5

September 2016 Special Feature

Above: Building products entering into the Australian market must be fit for purpose and contribute to the healthy and safe built environment that Australians have come to expect.

In Australia, we have cyclones, floods, storms and the ever-present threat of fire that has resulted in a significant loss of life over the years. Therefore it is vitally important that the community who are at most risk from these and other elements, have the assurance that the buildings they occupy, are built from products that are to the required standard and provide the required protection.

Whilst it is not possible to promise a totally risk free environment, the combination of education and commitment to the role undertaken by building surveyors, supported by the accountability of all building practitioners in the building supply chain, will ensure that Australian

consumers have access to the safest possible built environment.

The role of the building surveyor is to ensure that buildings conform to the required standards and the emerging problem of non-conforming building products reflect an environment characterised by rapid change where, to date, even Government have had difficulty identifying and managing this issue.

Building surveying as a profession has a long and proud tradition or ensuring community safety, so emerging challenges such as non-conforming building products have the potential to endanger community safety in ways not previously envisaged by Government.

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September 2016 Special Feature As recognised by Plato over 2000 years ago, there is no point having rules and laws if there is no one to enforce them. In the case of non-conforming building products we need all levels of Government to create effective laws that recognise the risk that non-conforming building products pose to the built environment and the public that relies on safe and healthy buildings.

To be effective, laws managing the issue of non-conforming building products must; be consistent between the federal and state governments, ensure that parties responsible for the importation and use of non-conforming building products are accountable for product failure and identify product failures so that the community is aware of the extent of the problem.

services that encourage innovation and lower costs. However, all building products entering into the Australian market must be fit for purpose and contribute to the healthy and safe built environment that Australians have come to expect.

The Great Fire of London was a savage reminder of the need to have skilled building surveyors to ensure the laws were complied with. Let us not be doomed to repeat the lessons of history, for in the case of non-conforming building products we have skilled building surveyors but no effective laws.

If there is any further reminder of what the costs of another major catastrophe comparable to the Great Fire would be in today’s terms, the estimated cost in 1666 was some £10 million, which accounting for The building surveying profession is not inflation, would now be in the vicinity of £3 opposed to the free trade of goods and Billion or A$5 Billion. A sobering thought!

On the cover: Digital manipulation of The Great Fire of London, with Ludgate and Old St. Paul’s Original Artwork: Anonymous Artist c. 1670 The Great Fire of London, with Ludgate and Old St. Paul’s.

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