Thursday 19 November 2026
Guildhall 203 High St
Exeter EX4 3EB

10.00 for 10.30 start - 16.00

£40 IHBC and £65 non member
Price includes lunch and refreshments
(a limited number of student/low income/unwaged at
£30 please contact Greg Venn
at ihbcswtreas@gmail.com)

Join us for an in-depth and timely study day on fire protection and regulations for historic buildings. This in person day course provides an introduction to, and awareness of the spread and growth of fire in traditional and historic buildings and is lead by Steve Emery CMI FireE, an acknowledged expert in the field.

The day will provide an opportunity to gain up-to-date knowledge in this critical area and discuss practical experiences with fellow professionals.

Hosted by the IHBC and the IHBC South West Branch, the event will take place at The Guildhall, Exeter, a Grade I Listed Building with more than 800 years of civic history behind it. The venue is easily accessible by train and car.

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This day course, delivered in person, provides an introduction to, and awareness of the spread and growth of fire in traditional and historic buildings. It will include:

• An understanding of the spread and growth of fire
• Overview of fires in heritage buildings
• Weaknesses in heritage buildings and fire spread
• Historic fire testing and solutions
• Legislation and guides
• Fire Safety Order
• Fire risk assessments
• Ecclesiastical buildings, statistics, collapse of stone vaults, fire-fighting in cathedrals.
• The use of decision-making tools
• Fire resisting doors
• Fire testing of doors
• Typical failures of doors
• Building a new copy of a medieval door.

About Steve Emery
Steve Emery formed Heritage Fire Consultancy Limited in 2022 after retiring from Oxford University, where he had been the Fire Officer since 2016. Clients include the National Trust, Landmark Trust, the Royal Holloway University, Norwich Castle and several churches. He was National Fire Adviser for English Heritage and Historic England from 2001-2016. Prior to this he had a 30-year career with Avon Fire and Rescue Service, his final post being 12 years as the fire officer for the City of Bath.

He chairs the Institution of Fire Engineers Special Interest Group for Heritage Buildings, and has written fire safety guidance documents for churches, historic town centres, thatched buildings and a guide to upgrading historic doors

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The Historic Exeter Guildhall is a listed building and access within the building is limited.

If you have specific access requirements, please raise these at the booking stage so that appropriate arrangements can be considered.

The Guildhall is easily reached from the M5 and major routes. Nearby car parks include:

• Guildhall Shopping Centre (Paul Street, EX4 3HP)
• Mary Arches Car Park (14 Mary Arches Street, EX4 3AZ)
• Exeter Central station is approximately a five-minute walk
• Exeter St David’s station is around a 20-minute walk

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The SW IHBC Branch are hosting a training day on the 24th June in Totnes on the structural repair of historic buildings with Ian Hume – DIC, MIStructE,DiplConsAA, IHBC formerly Head of Conservation Engineering at English Heritage.

Further details for the schedule of the day are attached.

We are offering a limited number of student/low income/unwaged at £30
please contact Greg Venn at ihbcswtreas@gmail.com for further information on how to book.

Lunch will be provided including tea and coffee at breaks.

Please note this is a repeat talk of the session in Swindon held in December and to keep costs as low as possible for attendees the event will be in person only and not recorded.