Edinburgh World Heritage

21/08/2026

Help us document the effects of climate change on the Old and New Towns of Edinburgh World Heritage Site. Comment your materials below or send them to [email protected] !

Evidence like this will help us better understand the nature and extent of climate change impacts in and on the UNESCO World Heritage Site. Help us to identify key issues and prioritise projects to deliver under our Climate Emergency programme.

17/08/2026

Edinburgh Traditional Building Festival begins this week and runs until the 20th of August. All events are free to attend but spots are filling up fast. Check out this link: https://edinburghworldheritage4.beaconforms.com/form/254edf29 to book your tickets today!

14/08/2026

Here’s the next chapter in our story, following our demo case project at Lister Housing Co-operative in the UK.

Gary, EWH’s Energy Retrofit and Adaptation Specialist, takes us behind the scenes to explain how the innovative window works, and why it has the potential to significantly enhance energy efficiency in Edinburgh’s tenement buildings.

Check out this link: https://futurhist.eu/news/demo-case-scotland-window-installation-begins-at-lister/ to find out how this new window prototype could help residents make their homes warmer and more energy efficient.

We would like to thank all our colleagues from Holzmanufaktur Rottweil GmbH for their works with special thanks to Stefan, Sascha, Ben, Stephan and Manuel.

13/08/2026

EWH attended a public summit on the Prince Street fire yesterday evening in the City Chambers presided by the Leader of the Council, Jane Meagher. David Givan, Chief Planning Officer and Head of Building Control gave a presentation on the complexities of managing the fire-damaged building and making the site safe as well as covering wider issues of recovery.

EWH applauds the care and precision undertaken by the Council and its contractors to secure the fabric of the B-listed former Liberal Club/Debenhams. This includes the careful down taking and recording of decorative stonework which is being stored on site ready for re-erection in due course.

Princes Street is to remain closed until the end of August. Whilst we appreciate the considerable disruption that has and will continue to result, the focus on retaining and protecting the city’s heritage in such a prominent and sensitive location in the World Heritage Site is to be highly commended and the approach to be fully supported.

11/08/2026

Phase 1 began last week for the UK Lister Demo Case on a B-listed tenement flat in Edinburgh Scotland.

This Demo Case will test bespoke energy retrofitting solutions for original timber sash and case windows combined with holistic ventilation strategies that favour passive ventilation systems, occupant behaviour and low energy consumption. This will help improve thermal comfort, indoor air quality and address condensation issues whilst reducing energy consumption and preserving the flat historic character and features.

Phase 1 works include:
- Conservation repairs of the existing sash and case windows and shutters
- Installation of a Centralised Mechanical Extract Ventilation (cMEV), indoor air quality monitors and the trial of a trickle vent prototype to improve the air quality in the flat.
- Relocation of radiators under the windows to hear air as it enters the trickle vent, subsequently reducing cold draughts.
-Doors and service penetrations will be draughtproofed to reduce air leakage.

07/08/2026

This week marks a big milestone for the UK demo case at the Lister Housing Co-operative that is being delivered as part of the European research project FuturHist

After several months of development and production, the secondary window prototype has arrived from Germany to the Lister Housing Co-operative flat in Edinburgh.

The FuturHist project partners EWH, Eurac Research, and University of Strathclyde together with traditional window specialist Holzmanufaktur GmbH developed a bespoke, ultra-thin high-performance secondary glazing system that fits in the space between the existing window and shutters. Not only will this provide a highly insulated second layer to these traditional sash and case windows, but it will also keep in place the original historic glass and allow full use of the shutters.

The prototype includes highly efficient vacuum glazing; an insulated glazed unit composed of two panes of glass separated by a vacuum gap – performing as a triple glazing unit but much thinner. It allows for ease of use to open for ventilation and maintenance purposes, helps tackle noise pollution from the street below, and is thin enough to fit in the space between the shutters and the original window. Achieving a slender yet highly performant window was a massive technical challenge to overcome. Most importantly, it has minimal visual impact on the flat from the inside and outside, preserving the window and building heritage significance.

FuturHist aims to develop replicable and heritage-sensitive retrofit solutions to reduce energy consumption and carbon emissions in historic buildings using a typology-based approach. If the solutions developed in this demo case work, they can then be replicated across many flats of similar buildings - that share similar characteristics and can be grouped in the same ‘typology’ - across the Lister estate, in Edinburgh and beyond. Such solutions would significantly accelerate the transition of historic buildings towards net-zero.

We would like to thank all our colleagues from Holzmanufaktur Rottweil GmbH for their works with special thanks to Stefan, Sascha, Ben, Stephan and Manuel.

The FuturHist project is co-funded by the European Commission and UK Research and Innovation.

04/08/2026

DON'T RIP OUT your sash and case windows! REPAIR them instead!

Learn how with this practical course from the Scottish Lime Centre Trust, offered on August 18th and November 25th, 2026. Find out more with this link:

https://www.scotlime.org/skills-training/courses/sash-and-case-window-repairs/

"This practical course will prove invaluable if you have a property with Sash and Case Windows. We will cover a short history of the development of windows before looking at the different components that make up a window and the issues to consider when approaching repairs. The course will allow attendees to identify and address various problems that commonly occur with sash windows. Topics covered will include window dismantling and reassembly, replacing ropes, weights, panes and putty. Various repair and improvement techniques will also be covered."

Did you know that in most cases you can undertake simple repairs, retain these period features and ensure the value of your traditional building is not compromised?

31/07/2026

MAKING THE CUT!
On Wednesday evening, a small team of volunteers began tackling the overgrown vegetation at New Calton Burial Ground.

What a difference one hour makes! Buddleia poses a real threat to historic graveyards - its roots pry apart old stonework, and it had completely hidden this interpretation panel.

Want to lend a hand? Join the Friends of the Calton Burial Grounds and help preserve our shared community heritage. Email [email protected]

Legacies in Stone Project | Funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund thanks to National Lottery players. Supported by the City of Edinburgh Council and Historic Environment Scotland.

29/07/2026

Our Director, Terry Levinthal shared his thoughts in an article “Adaptive Change and Transformation in Edinburgh” – Institute of Historic Building Conservation’s Yearbook for 2026

As with all cities, Edinburgh has witnessed periods of significant change and periods of stasis. Its inscription as a UNESCO World Heritage Site covering the Old and New Towns is testament to the retention of quality and the layering of historic space with contemporary renewal has been successful, but remains a constant challenge.

As the article summarises -
“Edinburgh is one of the more interesting cities to study from the perspective of adaptive reuse. It can be seen on both large and small scales. It is both additive and destructive. It illustrates so well the sedimentation and layering of interventions that have enriched spaces and buildings, not to mention the community. But is also illustrates how the accumulative nature of putting old and new together can be a threat equally. In the worst cases the accumulation can prevent the appreciation of the original and cast doubt on the authenticity of everything.”

The IHBC is the professional body for building conservation practitioners and historic environment experts working in England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales, with connections to the Republic of Ireland.

24/07/2026

The Edinburgh Traditional Building Festival is taking place from the 17-20th of August this year. All events are free, be sure to book in advance with this link:

https://edinburghworldheritage4.beaconforms.com/form/254edf29

UPDATE: New speaker for walking tour, 'Building Stones Geology Tour' given by Luis Albornoz-Parra