Dr. Thomas Brennan, Ph.D, BSc. Building Surveying, CRST, ISBE
Managing Director

Thomas, the founder of TKB, has devoted the greater part of his life to developing and researching methods of non-destructive treatment and protection of historic buildings and family homes - (Thomas pioneered several non intrusive exploratory techniques which has greatly reduced damage and costs normally associated with general inspection methods). He has completed the Foundation Civil and Commercial Mediation Training Programme.

Thomas is actively involved in many European research projects including: European Research on Cultural Heritage, Histoclean and the ARCCHIP Programme funded by the European Parliament. He is the Chairman of the Irish Damp Proofing Association, Founder Member of the European Dry Rot Research Association and the Irish Director of the International Society for the Built Environment. He has lectured in Trinity, UCC, RICS, Dublin Chamber of Commerce, Bolton Street College, Chief City Architects and Associates of Dublin City Corporation, UCD and at other European Conferences. With a Doctorate in Conservation, Thomas has won the Conservation Award of Excellence and numerous awards for his work such as on the Old County Hospital Portlaois, Farmleigh House and 25 Eustace Street, Dublin.

Chris Southgate, MA FIEI MIStructE., Chartered Engineer
Director

Chris is the Founder of Chris Southgate & Associates (CHSA), the first engineering practice in Ireland to specialise in Historic Buildings. He studied Engineering at Cambridge and is a Fellow of the Institution of Engineers of Ireland and a Member of the Institute of Structural Engineers.

His early work consisted of taking on some of Ireland’s most dangerous buildings. A particular example is a project in Fenns Quay, Cork, where one engineer described any attempt to conserve the buildings would result in their immediate collapse. As a result of his conservation experience, the project later went on to win a Europa Nostra Award and the FTPI Silver Jubilee Award. He has sat on the Committee of the Dublin Civic Trust Technical Guidance Manual and wrote the chapter on structural conservation. He was also structural engineer for the Connemara West Centre which won the RIAI Bronze Medal award.

Apart from his conservation engineering experience, he also set up a company to specialise in all aspects of technical conservation of historic buildings where expertise ranges not only to the structure of the building but to stone decay, and other technical conservation issues in relation to the fabric of historic buildings. As such the practice developed a reputation for tackling all technical issues in relation to historic buildings. Chris was also instrumental in initiating conservation strategy advice for planning purposes and acted as planning consultant for some of Corks’ largest construction projects.

Chris Southgate is a regular lecturer on the conservation of historic building structures, understanding their deterioration and methodologies for conservative repair. He has lectured in UCD and in numerous conservation organisations such as the Dublin Civic Trust, The Irish Georgian Society and the Ulster Local Heritage Trust and The Historic Buildings of Ireland Conference. He has won a CIF Award for 25 Eustace Street Dublin.