Context – Suggest a theme

The themes for forthcoming editions of Context, the journal of the Institute of Historic Building Conservation (IHBC) Context, are regularly published on the Context page of the IHBC web site.

The theme of each issue takes the form of three or four main articles and allows us to look in detail at a conservation issue or building type

Themed issues of Context also include more general conservation articles as well as news, book reviews and reports from IHBC’s officers.

If you have any suggestions for articles or other material contact editorial@ihbc.org.uk

Materiali & Strutture: Routes and rises – closes 9 May 2026

“Routes and rises” another very interesting call from Materiali & Strutture. A prerequisite for any possible use and enhancement of a site, and experiencing its architecture up close and from the inside, we are looking for papers that explore how the choice of routes is addressed and resolved as part of individual restoration and new use projects.

Dimitris Theodossopoulos will be happy to discuss any ideas with you before you send us an abstract.

Further information…

Deadline 9 May 2026

Journal of Historic Buildings & Places, Call for Essays

The Journal of Historic Buildings & Places (formerly Transactions of the Ancient Monuments Society) is on the look-out for articles for future editions. We publish annually, usually in March, and would like submissions of around 7,500 to 10,000 word, well-illustrated, essays that have a focus on the historic buildings and places of the United Kingdom. This could be articles about specific buildings or places, or areas of research that highlight a topic of conservation or heritage management. The journal has in the past covered areas of interest outside of this country. Articles are peer reviewed and publication may be dependent on changes being made as the referee suggests.

If you have an essay for consideration or if you would like to discuss a potential contribution, please contact the editor, Paul Holden FSA on editor@hbap.org.uk.

For more information see Learning from Our Past to Sustain Our Future

UK Maritime Heritage Forum Call for Papers 2026

The Historic Dockyard Chatham, Kent
20th-22nd October 2026

The UK Maritime Heritage Forum this year will meet at The Historic Dockyard Chatham in Kent. The Historic Dockyard Chatham encompasses 80 acres of industrial and maritime heritage. The site has witnessed over 400 years of shipbuilding on the River Medway. The forum will be hosted by Chatham Historic Dockyard Trust (the Trust) which cares for over 70,000 objects, 48 ancient scheduled monuments and three historic warships.

Call for Papers
Key theme this year will be: ‘Challenges for the Future’. Topics could include:

Changing audiences and programming challenges.

Security and technology-developing technologies such as AI and increased risks in cyber security.

Fundraising.

Climate and the environment.

A changing volunteer workforce.

The deadline for proposals is 12 noon on Friday, 29th May

Further details

Changing Cities International Conference VII: Call for Abstracts

Deadline extended to 31 March 2026

Further details….

Call for Abstract: ICOMOS Scientific Symposium 2026

LIVING HERITAGE: RESPECT, ENHANCE, ACCEPT, PARTNERSHIP – Closes 30 April 2026

Further information

The International Conference on Heritage, Care and People in a Resilient World: Heritage Networks as a Strategy for Sustainability (CIPAMUR 2026): Closes 13 March

The conference will take place in Madrid from 27 to 29 May 2026 in a hybrid format.

The provisional programme confirms a multidisciplinary, collective and co-
constructed approach. It includes communication sessions, specialised panels,
participatory workshops, research meetings and thematic sessions. Confirmed
panels cover a range of topics, including museum networks, international
cooperation, heritage and science, the Faro Convention, archaeological
networks, archives, UNESCO Chairs and European heritage, as well as the
analysis of illicit trafficking in cultural property and community networks for
sustainability.

The call for papers remains open until 13 March.

Find out more….

Heritage Futures: 2026 National Trust Conference Call for Presentations Now Open! – Closes 3 April 2026

The heritage conservation sector in Canada faces a “perfect storm” of social and political pressures. Heritage places are increasingly threatened by fast-tracked development, deregulation, and housing demands, even as rising cultural nationalism highlights their vital role in Canadian identity and economic resilience. At the same time, the sector is advancing reconciliation, addressing inequities in practice, and leading on climate action.

Heritage Futures will bring together bold ideas, practical case studies, and solution-focused dialogue to chart a path forward.

Canada’s largest heritage learning and networking event will convene 500+ professionals, policymakers, industry and NGO leaders, academics, students, and volunteers. Join this dynamic, annual, cross-sector conversation.

Further details….

Call for papers: MDPI – Optimizing Energy Efficiency and Thermal Comfort in Buildings, 2nd Edition

[MDPI] are now preparing to launch the second edition of this Special Issue and are pleased to invite you to submit your papers to Energies.

Today, it is widely accepted that climate change is a global phenomenon. Not only is the average temperature rising but heatwaves are also becoming more frequent. In addition, at present, the construction industry is not particularly adapted to extreme heat. Thus, research is necessary not only to analyse how building design will impact the climate but also how the future climate will impact building design.

On the other hand, the design of buildings aims to achieve a number of objectives in terms of energy consumption and the quality of indoor environments, which are often in conflict with each other. Thus, managing conflicting criteria in building design optimization is a real challenge that needs to be addressed.

This Special Issue aims to present and disseminate the most recent advances related to methods, modelling, experimentation, and application for optimizing energy-efficient design in tandem with thermal comfort for indoor spaces.

Further information and submission

Deadline: 5 May 2026

Construction History Society: Call for Abstracts – Building Practice, Regulation, Corruption and Adaptation

CHS Annual Conference in collaboration with Cambridge Faculty of Architecture
Queens’ College, Cambridge, Friday 25 – Sunday 27 September 2026.

The aim of this year’s Annual Construction History Society Conference from the 25-27
September 2026 is to explore the history of regulation and corruption in the building
industry.

Abstracts should be 300-500 words long and should include the full names, academic
affiliation or employer, a description of the subject proposed, the sources to be used, and
where it fits within or how it relates to the current literature on the topic, together with
address and email contact details. Submissions should be made to chs@aha.cam.ac.uk.
The submission date for the abstracts is 15 February 2026.

Further information….

Call for Papers: EEHB conference (energy efficiency in historic buildings)

The 6th International Conference on Energy Efficiency in Historic Buildings (EEHB) will take place at the European Parliament in Strasbourg (France) on 13-14 October 2026.