ABSTRACT
Materials are at the heart of what makes old buildings special, so an appreciation of their attributes, coupled with careful choice, is essential for good design in historic environments. Compatible traditional and natural materials, and the skills associated with them, inevitably have a big part to play in work associated with old buildings and in any project that seeks to improve the sustainability credentials of a scheme. One of the most adaptable materials for building is wood and it was once plentiful in many parts of Britain. In the stone-bearing regions, quarried stone is generally the main building material in the form of limestones, sandstones and granites, which occur in a great variety of colours and qualities. Breathability is the water vapour transmission rate, or the speed at which vapour permeates through a particular material or construction. Some modern insulation materials have the potential to trap moisture.
