The Building Limes Forum

The Building Limes Forum

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Contact Details

The Building Limes Forum, The Glasite Meeting House, 33 Barony Street, Edinburgh EH3 6NX UK

Email: admin@buildinglimesforum.org.uk

About Us

The Building Limes Forum exists to encourage expertise and understanding in the appropriate use of building limes and education in the standards of production, preparation, application and after-care. It is a charitable body with no commercial ties, Scottish Charity Number SC033659.

Lime has been used as the principal binder for mortars and plasters for the past 10,000 years. Until the development of Portland cement in the late nineteenth century, lime was the key component of mortars used for the construction of houses, castles, bridges, harbours, etc. and for their internal and external decoration.

Nearly all structures made of brick or stone before 1900 were built using lime. And it is important to use lime for their repair - modern materials are too strong and can mar more than they mend. Lime is also eco-friendly, it absorbs carbon dioxide during its curing so new buildings erected with lime have lower carbon foot prints; lime also allows for building materials such as stone and brick to be recycled, the ultimate in green building.

Membership

Membership of the Building Limes Forum offers:

The opportunity to participate in conferences, courses, workshops, demonstrations and visits organised by the Forum;
An informal network of contacts who are prepared to share information and to discuss matters relating to building limes with other members. The list of members is on-line (password protected and encrypted for security) and details are available to members at a few clicks of a mouse;
The annual Journal and regular newsletters;
A means of supporting the stated aims.

Although many of the leading practitioners in the field of the use of lime in building are members of the Building Limes Forum, membership is open to all, and no prior knowledge or experience in the use of lime in building is required. Membership provides access to this wide body of accumulated experience and expertise, but indicates primarily an eagerness to learn and a willingness to share; it does not of itself confer automatic expert status.

Information regarding the different categories of membership and an application form can be found on the website

Events

The Forum holds an annual conference and gathering each year. This informal and friendly three-day event consists of the presentation of papers on the use of lime from users, specifiers, academics and historians and practical demonstrations in the use of lime.