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The environmental microclimatic characteristics are often subject to fluctuations of considerable importance, which can cause irreparable damage to art works. We explored the applicability of Artificial Intelligence (AI) techniques to the Cultural Heritage area, with the aim of predicting short-term microclimatic values based on data collected at Rosenborg Castle (Copenhagen), housing the Royal Danish Collection. Specifically, this study applied the NAR (Nonlinear Autoregressive) and NARX (Nonlinear Autoregressive with Exogenous) models to the Rosenborg microclimate time series. Even if the two models were applied to small datasets, they have shown a good adaptive capacity predicting short-time future values. This work explores the use of AI in very short forecasting of microclimate variables in museums as a potential tool for decision-support systems to limit the climate-induced damages of artworks within the scope of their preventive conservation. The proposed model could be a useful support tool for the management of the museums.

This research addresses the issue of the heritage preventive conservation in the perspective of energy sustainability, for contributing to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and towards the EU Green Deal. The study analyses and compares four cases associated with different microclimate thresholds as suggested by the standard EN 16893:2018 (Cases 1–3) and as derived from the outputs of three degradation models for preserving paper, wood, and canvas paintings (Case 4). Weather-based indices (degree and gram days) were calculated to estimate trends in the potential energy demand of collection facilities in three European cities belonging to different Köppen-Geiger climate zones (Cfb, Csa, and Dfb), under recent past (1981–2010) and near/far future climate scenarios (2021–2050 and 2071–2100) from two Shared Socioeconomic Pathways (SSP2-4.5 and SSP5-8.5). The findings suggest that adapting facilities’ management strategies to focus on collections preservation can facilitate the achievement of 5 out of 17 SDGs, offering a viable alternative to costly energy retrofits and encouraging the development of shared solutions for similar facilities in the same climate zone. The results can contribute to inform the revision of EN 16893 and to face major challenges such as the preservation of paper collections in southern latitudes.

Calibration of the existing building simulation model is key to correctly evaluating the energy savings that are achievable through retrofit. However, calibration is a non-standard phase where different approaches can possibly lead to different models. In this study, an existing residential building is simulated in parallel by four research groups with different dynamic simulation tools. Manual/automatic methodologies and basic/detailed measurement data sets are used. The calibration is followed by a validation on two evaluation periods. Monitoring data concerning the windows opening by the occupants are used to analyze the calibration outcomes. It is found that for a good calibration of a model of a well-insulated building, the absence of data regarding the users’ behavior is more critical than uncertainty on the envelope properties. The automatic approach is more effective in managing the model complexity and reaching a better performing calibration, as the RMSE relative to indoor temperature reaches 0.3 °C compared to 0.4–0.5 °C. Yet, a calibrated model’s performance is often poor outside the calibration period (RMSE increases up to 10.8 times), and thus, the validation is crucial to discriminate among multiple solutions and to refine them, by improving the users’ behavior modeling.

The deployment of sensors is the first issue encountered when microclimate monitoring is planned in spaces devoted to the conservation of artworks. Sometimes, the first decision regarding the position of sensors may not be suitable for characterising the microclimate close to climate-sensitive artworks or should be revised in light of new circumstances. This paper fits into this context by proposing a rational approach for a posteriori deployment of microclimate sensors in museums where long-term temperature and relative humidity observations were available (here, the Rosenborg Castle, Copenhagen, Denmark). Different statistical tools such as box-and-whisker plots, principal component analysis (PCA) and cluster analysis (CA) were used to identify microclimate patterns, i.e., similarities of indoor air conditions among rooms. Box-and-whisker plots allowed us to clearly identify one microclimate pattern in two adjoining rooms located in the basement. Multivariate methods (PCA and CA) enabled us to identify further microclimate patterns by grouping not only adjoining rooms but also rooms located on different floors. Based on these outcomes, new configurations about the deployment of sensors were proposed aimed at avoiding redundant sensors and collecting microclimate observations in other sensitive locations of this museum.

Among non-destructive testing (NDT) techniques applied to structural health monitoring in existing timber structures, ranging from visual inspection to more sophisticated analysis, acoustic emission (AE) is currently seldomly used to detect mechanical stresses in wooden building assets. This paper presents the results from a systematic literature review on AE NDT applied to monitor micro and macro fracture events in softwood, specifically Scots pine. This survey particularly investigates its application with respect to the tree rings density and grain angle inspection, as influencing factors well correlated with physical and mechanical characteristics of wood. The literature review was performed in a three-step process defined by the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses) flow diagram, leading to the selection of 31 documents from different abstract and citation databases (Scopus, Web of Science and Google Scholar). The outcomes have highlighted how laboratory experiments, including several types of tests (tensile, cutting, compressive, etc.), were conducted in most cases, while a very limited number of studies investigated on in situ monitoring. In addition, theoretical approaches were often explored in parallel with the experimental one. It emerges that—for tree ring density studies—a multi-technique approach, which may include microscopic observations, could be more informative. Indeed, although not widely investigated, high/low tree ring density and grain angle were found as influencing factors on the AE parameters detected by the sensors, during condition and structural health monitoring experiments.

The Alessandrina Library was founded in 1667 by pope Alexander VII Chigi and is nowadays housed in the Campus of Sapienza University of Rome (Italy). Within its Ancient (mostly made of rag paper) and Modern (mostly made of contemporary paper) collections, it includes more than one million books produced from the XVI to the XXI century. In 2019, six thermo-hygrometers were deployed in its multi-storey repository to monitor temperature (T) and relative humidity (RH). Hourly T and RH data collected over 2 years allowed us to evaluate spatial and temporal thermo-hygrometric distributions and to carry out a comprehensive assessment of the climate-induced risks (mechanical, chemical, and biological deterioration mechanisms). Vertical temperature gradients associated with unstable conditions occurred in winter, resulting in upraising air flows up to the ceiling. The risky short-term RH fluctuations (EN 15757:2010) were determined to avoid mechanical stress in case of loans, relocation, and consultation. The Time Weighted Expected Lifetime (TWEL) index was used to evaluate the chemical risk for different paper-based collections as a function of their acidity and degree of polymerisation, also considering the typical response time of paper books to T and RH changes. The TWEL calculation estimated that the durability of acidic paper was around 300 years and highlighted that rag paper could be subject to cellulose hydrolysis only in summer and autumn, while contemporary paper was mostly at no risk. The risk of mould germination (Sedlbauer diagram) was possible on few days in Autumn, while the production of insect eggs (Brimblecombe empirical function) was favoured during approximately 42% of time over the year. In addition, illuminance and colorimetric measurements (performed on selected book covers) showed that light-sensitive objects could be exposed to the photodeterioration risk in the east-facing side of the repository. Although the investigation focussed on a specific case study, a similar approach could be effectively adapted to most library and archival repositories conserving paper-based collections.

This study explores the challenges involved in preserving the materiality and memory of World War II (WWII) heritage sites in Trondheim, Norway. Structures such as military installations and bunkers hold significant cultural and historical value, yet their conservation involves facing a range of complexities between varying public perceptions, historical narratives, modern reuses, and physical durability. This study presents ten interconnected research questions designed to build a framework for understanding the various connections needed to address these complexities. By analysing Trondheim’s case study, this research highlights the importance of integrating both tangible and intangible aspects, considering public perceptions and managing the site’s appearance, use and identity to preserve historical narratives. The findings emphasise the value of cross-disciplinary collaboration in addressing the conservation of war-built heritage and propose strategies for balancing memory preservation with evolving urban contexts. This research also provides a database for better site management and future memory-related interventions.

The growing sensitivity towards environmental sustainability, particularly in the light of climate change, requires a reflection on the role that historical buildings can play in heritage conservation. This research proposed an interdisciplinary approach combining climate and biological expertise to evaluate the biodeterioration risk associated with different IPCC outdoor climate scenarios. Conduction heat transfer functions and dose–response functions were used to model the indoor climate of a historical building and the related climate-induced risk of mould and pest proliferation. The approach was applied to a case study in the Mediterranean area, i.e., the State Archives of Palermo (Italy) housed in a 15th-century convent. In 2018, a survey conducted by ICPAL-MiC experts warned about past infestations and risks deriving from climate conditions. An environmental monitoring campaign conducted in 2021 allowed for the characterisation of the buffering effect in a historical building in response to the outdoor climate and the simulation of future indoor climate. Since indoor temperature and mixing ratio are expected to raise in future scenarios, it was found that there is an increased risk of insects’ proliferation, combined with a decreased risk of spore germination and mould growth. Such evidence-based evaluation allows for the design of tailored preventive conservation measures to enhance the durability of both the archival collections and the building.

Under constant temperature conditions, air relative humidity variations affect hygroscopic objects, such as wood, modifying their moisture content and provoking, at low values, damages and fractures. The parameters (amplitude, counts, and energy) derived from the acoustic emission non-destructive technique are calibrated with respect to equilibrium moisture content values using 14 samplings of Pinus sylvestris. The experimental procedure uses multi-technique approaches involving a universal testing machine, digital image correlation, and acoustic emissions, and notes that the three parameters of acoustic emission strictly depend on the equilibrium moisture content. For a better interpretation, a statistical approach is applied to model the equilibrium moisture content variations radially and longitudinally. Amplitude, counts, and energy are calibrated as a function of the equilibrium moisture content, indicating that all three parameters are necessary to have an integral vision of the conservation of a wooden material. Moreover, the shape of the macro-fractures that occur at the surface can be associated with the level of moisture or dryness of the sample. Finally, the proposed method can be used in situ because, through acoustic emission monitoring, it is possible to quantify the fingerprint of the state of conservation of a material.

The availability of long-term records of the total ozone content (TOC) represents a valuable source of information for studies on the assessment of short- and long-term atmospheric changes and their impact on the terrestrial ecosystem. In particular, ground-based observations represent a valuable tool for validating satellite-derived products. To our knowledge, details about software packages for processing Brewer spectrophotometer measurements and for retrieving the TOC are seldom specified in studies using such datasets. The sources of the differences among retrieved TOCs from the Brewer instruments located at the Italian stations of Rome and Aosta, using three freely available codes (Brewer Processing Software, BPS; O3Brewer software; and European Brewer Network (EUBREWNET) level 1.5 products) are investigated here. Ground-based TOCs are also compared with Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) TOC retrievals used as an independent dataset since no other instruments near the Brewer sites are available. The overall agreement of the BPS and O3Brewer TOC data with EUBREWNET data is within the estimated total uncertainty in the retrieval of total ozone from a Brewer spectrophotometer (1 %). However, differences can be found depending on the software in use. Such differences become larger when the instrumental sensitivity exhibits a fast and dramatic drift which can affect the ozone retrievals significantly. Moreover, if daily mean values are directly generated by the software, differences can be observed due to the configuration set by the users to process single ozone measurement and the rejection rules applied to data to calculate the daily value. This work aims to provide useful information both for scientists engaged in ozone measurements with Brewer spectrophotometers and for stakeholders of the Brewer data products available on Web-based platforms.