The 2026 CIOB Conservation conference taking place in April in London will tackle the idea that conservation is elitist or specialist and instead will offer discussions showing its practical, inclusive aspects focused on real world delivery.
The event aims to show that heritage conservation is at its strongest when it is practical, affordable and deliverable. Heritage That Works – to be held at Hilton London Tower Bridge – will reframe conservation as a sector defined not by exclusivity, but by collaboration and relevance. The conference hopes to bring together the full ecosystem of people who make heritage projects happen – project managers, site managers, QSs, engineers, craftspeople, apprentices, graduates and specialists – many of whom have traditionally felt that conservation events were “not for them”.
The conference addresses one of the sector’s constant challenges: the perception of conservation as elitist or inaccessible. If the future of heritage is to be inclusive and resilient, then early‑career professionals, emerging practitioners and those working at the interface of heritage and construction must feel represented, welcomed and equipped.
Sessions will centre on the issues practitioners face every day, including navigating skills shortages; overcoming planning delays; working with traditional materials; learning from failures; and building collaborative teams capable of delivering complex projects.
Alongside this, the programme will create space for early‑career voices and offer practical tools, templates, and insights that delegates can apply directly to their projects.
Heritage That Works champions a shift towards relevance, value and wider engagement, ensuring that conservation is not only about protecting the past, but about enabling people across the sector to deliver better, smarter, and more inclusive heritage outcomes.
If you are interested in sponsoring the CIOB Conservation Conference, email [email protected].
You can experience the CIOB Conservation Conference before you commit by checking out the 2024 conference online. The Future of Heritage Conservation
Register for the 2026 event here https://www.ciob.org/events/heritage-that-works-delivery-skills-value-in-conservation-1978621120033
