Environmental appraisal of historic buildings in Scotland: the case study of the Glasgow School of Art

This paper is a part of an ongoing research project into the environmental appraisal of historic buildings in Scotland. It used the Glasgow School of Art (GSA) building as its research vehicle where key variables related to sound, light and heat were measured and user attitudes toward them and the building in general were surveyed and the results were statistically analysed. Preliminary recordings of sound level showed an evidence of noise nuisance in one of the GSA offices. This was largely due to the nature of sound rather than its level. This has been confirmed by user returns from the questionnaire. Also, Leq levels were high in the library. Daylight levels in one of the north-facing studios were higher than required in summer and lower than the recommended standards in winter. Surprisingly, no evidence, from the questionnaire returns, was found to suggest visual and/or thermal discomfort in the studios from the very large single glazed windows. Almost all occupants attached great importance to the issue of living inside a historic building. However, this was not the preferred option when it was examined in relation to other building use issues.