A group of people sit and work at a large table surrounded by bookshelves

In April 2007 the Getty Conservation Institute organized the Experts' Roundtable on Sustainable Climate Management Strategies in Tenerife, Spain. The objectives of the roundtable were to exchange knowledge and experiences; to identify areas in need of further study or new research; and to identify opportunities for education and training in this subject. The event was hosted by the Autonomous Organization of Museums and Centers of Tenerife Island Government, the Institute’s local project partner for testing and implementing an alternative climate control system.

Background

Over the last two decades, management and control of the museum environment have been important topics for the Conservation Institute. Its Science department has carried out several projects investigating the economical and sustainable applicability of alternatives to conventional air-conditioning systems to establish and maintain preservation-favorable indoor climates for collections in hot and humid climates.

The Institute’s Education department offered a series of courses in preventive conservation, focusing on the management of the environmental conditions under which collections are housed and used. Based on the growing need to adapt to global climate change, along with a call for more sustainable strategies, the Institute believed it was time for an interdisciplinary dialogue about the museum environment, specifically the indoor climate. A group of international experts—including architects, engineers, conservators and conservation scientists with an established record in the fields of environmental research, management or control—were invited to participate in a two-day discussion on sustainable climate management strategies and alternatives to conventional air-conditioning systems for cultural institutions.

Participants

  • Dario Camuffo, Istituto di Scienze dell'Atmosfera e del Clima (Italy)
  • Giacomo Chiari, Getty Conservation Institute (USA)
  • Kathleen Dardes, Getty Conservation Institute (USA)
  • Michael Henry, Watson and Henry Associate (USA)
  • Richard Kerschner, Shelburne Museum, Vermont (USA)
  • Roman Kozłowski, Polish Academy of Sciences (Poland)
  • Shin Maekawa, Getty Conservation Institute (USA)
  • Stefan Michalski, Canadian Conservation Institute (Canada)
  • Tadj Oreszczyn, University College London (UK)
  • Tim Padfield, Environmental consultant (UK/Denmark)
  • Henk Schellen, Technical University of Eindhoven (The Netherlands)
  • Sarah Staniforth, National Trust (UK)
  • Franciza Toledo, Environmental consultant (Brazil)
  • Nieves Valentín, Instituto del Patrimonio Histórico Español (Spain)

Topics addressed during the two-day roundtable included current climate management strategies and emerging trends; the meaning of sustainability in relation to the preservation of cultural heritage; and whether cultural institutions such as museums, archives, and libraries can or should play a role in the debate about energy consumption. The group agreed on the importance of managing environmental conditions in a responsible manner with respect to cost and energy consumption. Several areas for further research were identified: collecting data on the cost of control (energy consumption, installation, and maintenance costs) by comparing building types with different degrees of control in different climate zones against actual indoor climate conditions could result in an extremely useful overview. This comparison could help decision-makers determine the level of control they want and the level they can afford.

Another research topic identified was the validation and fine-tuning of computer models increasingly used in the design process of buildings and systems. It was also suggested the field could benefit from additional research on the response of different materials to short-term fluctuations. While a large amount of scientific data and practical experience already exists on this subject, recording proven fluctuations of objects and collections in the field would provide needed data.

The group stressed that knowledge and experience in technologies appropriate for museums should be disseminated more widely. The participants felt that those involved in environmental management strategies for museums—not only conservators but architects and engineers who work in this sector—could benefit from continual professional development through education, training, and the dissemination of information.

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