Session 9 - Adapting Environments in Museums, Archives and Storages 2

By María López Teisaire, Victoria Zucchi and Juana Segura Escobar

This morning, the 9th session of the conference, titled "Adapting Environments in Museums, Archives, and Storage 2," took place in Lima. The session featured presentations from four speakers, one of whom attended in person, while the others participated via recorded formats.

We kicked off with Bertrand Lavédrine's talk on "Sustainable Preservation of Photographs in a Hot and Humid Climate: Dry Cabinets and Metal-Organic Framework Paper Composites." Lavédrine introduced an innovative and cost-effective approach to preserving photographs in challenging climates. A standout solution was the use of metal-organic particles to control acidic gasses, which he successfully integrated not only into the environment but also into the structure of archival papers. This advancement opens exciting possibilities for creating boxes or envelopes that could better protect photographs in the future.

Some interesting questions that came up during the Q&A section of the session for Bertrand were: Do you have any data for the performance of the cabinets during power outages? (From Jane Henderson) Do you think the drying cabinets can work for other museum objects to promote sustainability by saving energy? (From Lisa Swedberg) and, how do you manage with fluctuations of T and RH (and the damage associated) when you take photographs out of the cabinet to consult or digitalize them? (From Clara Von Sanden)

Next, Emma Richardson, Director of Research at the Image Permanence Institute in Rochester, presented findings from a three-year research project examining the impact of energy-saving strategies on indoor air quality in collecting institutions. By experimenting with various methods—such as temporary system shutdowns, fan speed adjustments, and reducing outside air—Richardson highlighted effective ways to maintain preservation quality while simultaneously lowering financial costs and carbon footprints.

Following this, Julie Bon and Bo Han addressed the challenges of preserving artifacts in historic library buildings in their presentation, "Hygrothermal Performance of Enclosures in a Storage Room and Energy Efficiency in Environmental Control." They discussed Scotland's commitment to achieving carbon neutrality and proposed that controlling the environmental conditions within storage boxes could provide flexibility in managing the overall climate of the building. Their use of artificial intelligence to develop predictive models for energy consumption is particularly promising. This approach allows for the creation of ideal microclimates for collections, ensuring better protection and greater efficiency.

Lukasz Bratasz concluded the session with an introduction to the HERIe digital platform, which includes a fire risk assessment module specifically designed for cultural heritage institutions. He stressed the importance of effective risk management in light of fire being a significant threat to collections. The HERIe platform empowers institutions to evaluate their fire protection levels using relevant statistical data, facilitating informed decision-making regarding safety measures.

These presentations collectively underscored the urgent need for sustainable solutions in cultural heritage preservation. By integrating technology and local resources, institutions can safeguard their collections while promoting environmental responsibility. The insights shared during this session remind us that sustainability and preservation are deeply interconnected, shaping the legacy we leave for future generations. Engaging with these innovative strategies is essential to ensure that our shared cultural heritage continues to thrive.