Unlike many brochures, which contain a heavy commercial bias, the CRL document is truly advisory. It includes an introduction to Cathodic Protection, explains the corrosion process, describes why CP should be used and what the process actually comprises. In addition, it gives advice on commissioning, operating and monitoring, highlights what may cause problems, pinpoints when the system should be used and how you should approach procurement.

Unusually, it also offers an idea of costs. "As an example", states the brochure, "for a typical early 1900s four storey building with two elevations the cost of design and installation would be approximately £100,000, plus the cost of access and stonemasonry/builders work. On-going costs would be approximately £1,500 per annum to cover monitoring and maintenance. If designed and installed correctly", it continues "the system should function satisfactorily with minimal maintenance for more than 30 years".

Cathodic Protection often sounds complicated, but in reality is not. It is an impressed current electrochemical process that uses a separate anode to control steel frame corrosion by making steel surfaces 'cathodic'. The system employs a noble metal such as coated titanium and a very small permanent electrical current, which is passed between the anode and the steel frame. The anode can be placed in the bed joints of a cladding system or in the cladding material on the inside face. It comes in the form of a ribbon which is placed in cut chases, or as a discrete rod placed in holes.

CRL was the first UK Company to install a CP system on a steel-framed building; at Dublin's Royal College of Science - currently the Irish Prime Minister's office. The Company has since installed systems at London's Lloyds Building, Gloucester Road Underground Station, Selfridges Store and Northcliffe House and the original Boots the Chemist store in Nottingham. Both English Heritage and Historic Scotland support the use of ICCP systems to maintain steel framed buildings in their original state.