Summary
I joined the British Geological Survey in 2001 after a five-year Geology degree (eq. BSc Hons) from the University of Oviedo, Spain, with Building Stones Decay and Conservation/Applied Petrology/Stone Resources as my chosen speciality. As a lover of stone buildings with interesting history, and disliking Spain’s fondness for concrete and brick, I decided many years ago to leave for Scotland, a nation built in stone.
I have never looked back ever since…
Luis Albornoz-Parra’s Biography
- 2015 – ongoing: Main point of contact for the Enquiries Service at BGS Edinburgh.
- 2004 – ongoing: Building Stones Geologist/Applied Petrologist, BGS.
- 2001 – Assistant Scientific Officer, BGS.
- 1998 – BSc Honours (5-year) degree in Geology, with specialization on Applied Petrology, Stone Conservation and Mineral Resources, Oviedo.
Research interests
- Stone sourcing, stone decay and stone conservation.
Published outputs
Albornoz-Parra, L, Everett, P, Tracey, E, and Gillespie, M. 2011. Identifying replacement stones for use in building repairs: an integrated system for improved stone matching. Abstract of talk for European Geosciences Union.
Hyslop, E K, and Albornoz-Parra, L J. 2007. Developing a future repairs strategy for a sandstone city: a petrographic investigation of building stone in Glasgow, Scotland. 11th Euroseminar on Microscopy Applied to Building Materials. June 2007, Porto, Portugal. 9pp. Paper accepted for publication in proceedings volume.
Hyslop, E, McMillan, A, Maxwell, I, Walsh, J, and Albornoz-Parra, L. 2006. Stone in Scotland. Paris, France, United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), 72pp. (Earth Science Series).
NERC Open Research Archive — Luis Albornoz-Parra
Commissioned reports
Albornoz-Parra, L J, Everett, P, and Gillespie, M R. 2017. Edinburgh Mercat Cross Condition Survey BSA GeoReport (GR_215076). British Geological Survey.
Albornoz-Parra, L J, Everett, P A, and Gillespie, M R. 2017. Edinburgh Mercat Cross: Building Stone Assessment and Conservation Plan.
Gillespie, M R, Everett, P A, Albornoz-Parra, L J. and Tracey, E A. 2013. A survey of building stone and roofing slate in Falkirk town centre. British Geological Survey. OR/13/015
Albornoz-Parra, L J. 2012. Geological and geographical origin of the Elgin Cathedral stones. British Geological Survey.
Hyslop, E K, Tracey, E A, Albornoz-Parra, L J, Everett, P, Parry, S F, and Custance-Baker, A B. 2009. The Building Stones and Slates of Killin. An investigation of stone for the built heritage. GEOREPORT GR_138832_1
Hyslop, E K, Weintritt, J, Tracey, E A, Custance‐Baker, A B, and Albornoz-Parra, L J. 2009. A Desktop Resource Assessment of Building Stone and Slate on the Island of Bute (OR/09/040)
Hyslop, E K, Albornoz-Parra, L J, and Tracey, E A. 2009. Assessing the potential for reopening a building stone quarry: Newbigging Sandstone Quarry, Fife. (OR/09/008)
Hyslop, E K, Albornoz-Parra, L J, and Tracey, E A. 2009. A building stone audit for Kilmarnock: surveying, matching, and sourcing stone for the built heritage. Nottingham, UK, British Geological Survey, 221pp. (OR/09/002)
Hyslop, E K, Albornoz-Parra, L J, Fisher, L C, and Hamilton, S L. 2006. Safeguarding Glasgow’s Stone Built Heritage: Skills & Materials requirements. BGS Commissioned Report CR/06/077. (6 volumes). Also published as a report by the Scottish Stone Liaison Group 2006.
Hyslop, E K, Albornoz-Parra, L J, Fisher, L C, and Hamilton, S L. 2006. Safeguarding Glasgow’s Stone Built Heritage Skills and Materials. SSLG & SEG.
More than 800 reports on stone matching and other building stone-related issues.
Skills
- Involved in delivering lectures to professionals in courses and Continuous Professional Development events.
- Responsible for the delivery of Building Stones GeoReports and for the development and delivery of Commissioned Research projects.
- Building Stone surveying in buildings. Building Stone quality assessment in quarries.
- Applied Petrology: Selection, sourcing and performance (analysis and matching) of building stones in Scotland and Northern England. Stone decay analysis and conservation.