Session 10 - Sustainable Preventive Conservation Strategies

By Nourhan Ameen, Guadalupe Verenise Cavero Manzanares and Ebrima Jammeh

The session focused on integrating sustainability into archival conservation, highlighting how reducing carbon footprints is key to preserving both cultural heritage and the environment. Through innovative practices like improving storage conditions, eco-friendly transport, and blending conservation techniques, the discussions emphasized the essential role of sustainable methods in shaping a responsible future.

The session began with Tim Powell and Helen Wilson from The National Archives of the United Kingdom, who introduced a groundbreaking initiative: adapting the "Carbon Literacy" toolkit specifically for the archives and special collections sector. This course, designed to raise awareness about carbon emissions and encourage sustainable behavior, has been a huge success since its launch in 2012. It has certified over 92,000 individuals, leading to an estimated savings of 335,000 tons of CO2. The training is divided into modules that cover climate science, as well as both individual and collective actions, equipping participants with the tools to implement sustainable practices in their workplaces. This initiative is a significant step forward in transforming the sector and fostering a commitment to sustainability.

Yuki Russell's presentation then shifted the focus to two key elements of archival conservation in the UK: air quality in storage environments and the passive storage project at Norfolk Record Office. Russell emphasized the critical need to control contaminants in these environments, despite the financial, technical, and environmental hurdles involved. She pointed out how, in an effort to cut costs, standards have relaxed temperature limits, which could pose a risk to the preservation of sensitive materials. Her preliminary study also uncovered significant issues with the packaging of archival materials and proposed a passive storage solution that would optimize both space and energy efficiency. Russell’s message was clear: ongoing evaluation of storage conditions is essential for long-term sustainable preservation. Her talk struck a powerful balance between sustainability and conservation, highlighting the delicate challenges archivists face in creating optimal conditions for the preservation of valuable documents. It invites a thoughtful reconsideration of how current infrastructure can meet environmental demands without sacrificing the quality of preservation.

Another fascinating discussion centered on pollution absorption and humidity control in display cases using saturated salt solutions. The use of magnesium nitrate and potassium carbonate stood out for their low cost and lack of energy consumption. I was particularly impressed by how these solutions offer a highly sustainable method, eliminating the risk of system failures due to power outages. It’s an innovative approach that merges practicality with sustainability—a rare but much-needed combination.

Finally, the session concluded with a presentation by the conservation team from English Heritage, who are tasked with the enormous responsibility of maintaining over 400 historic properties and managing one million objects across 136 sites. This includes the care of 1,400 easel paintings. The team underscored the importance of calculating the carbon footprint of their conservation efforts, from painting treatments and material usage to transportation and energy management. They shared a newly developed methodology for this, and one of the most compelling insights was the potential environmental benefit of using electric vehicles for art transportation. The findings revealed that preventive environmental controls, such as managing climate conditions in storage, have a far greater impact on reducing carbon emissions than the direct conservation treatments themselves.

Despite the complexity of these challenges, the presentation highlighted the crucial role of conservators in becoming more aware of their environmental impact and actively seeking sustainable solutions. This research opens up an important conversation about sustainability in heritage conservation and demonstrates how environmentally conscious practices can reduce carbon footprints while ensuring the protection and preservation of cultural heritage.

During the Q&A session, Robert Waller initiated an intriguing technical question regarding the use of saturated salts. His concern focused on whether, as humidity distribution across display cases is observed over time, hybrid solutions should be considered. He acknowledged that while saturated salts work more slowly, combining them with a high-capacity approach—using hygroscopic material layered within the display case—could yield more effective short-term results. Waller suggested that the combination of both methods would be better than choosing one over the other.

Katja Franzisca Siebel supported this idea, confirming that in their display case model, they use magnesium chloride in combination with an absorption layer, which provides a more uniform and quicker humidity control. This demonstrates that there is indeed great potential in combining both approaches to achieve optimal preservation conditions.

As we wrap up this insightful session, it's clear that the future of archival conservation is not only about preserving our history but also about embracing sustainable practices that benefit both our cultural heritage and the environment. These discussions remind us that every effort counts, and by working together, we can make a significant impact. Let's carry this momentum forward, championing innovative solutions and sharing our knowledge to create a more sustainable future for our archives and collections. Together, we can ensure that our past is protected while nurturing the planet for generations to come.

BLOG AUTHORS
Guadalupe Verenise Cavero Manzanares is a Peruvian System Engineering and BA Student of
Conservation and Restoration of Works of Art.