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Hygrothermal Behaviour of Cultural Heritage and Climate Changes

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A special issue of Applied Sciences (ISSN 2076-3417). This special issue belongs to the section "Environmental Sciences".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (20 September 2023) | Viewed by 14148

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Special Issue Editors

Dr. Hugo Entradas Silva

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Guest Editor

Department of Civil Engineering, NOVA School of Science and Technology | FCT NOVA, Campus Caparica, 2829-516 Caparica, Portugal
Interests: Cultural heritage; preventive conservation; hygrothermal behaviour; building simulation; indoor air quality; thermal comfort; building physics
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Dr. Luísa Dias Pereira

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Guest Editor

ADAI-LAETA, Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, 3030-289 Coimbra, Portugal
Interests: energy efficiency in buildings; thermal comfort; indoor air quality; hygrothermal behaviour; preventive conservation; cultural heritage
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Dr. Luís G. Baltazar

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Guest Editor

NOVA School of Science and Technology | FCT NOVA, Campus Caparica, 2829-516 Caparica, Portugal
Interests: rheology of colloidal suspensions; old stone masonry consolidation; sustainable construction materials
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

We are inviting submissions to the Special Issue on “Hygrothermal Behaviour of Cultural Heritage and Climate Changes”.

Cultural heritage plays a major role in societies as a symbol of their past. Its conservation is a challenge to safeguard their identity and to ensure cultural diversity in a continuously changing world.

The 21^st century has brought new concerns and currently, in addition to issues related to conservation, thermal comfort and indoor air quality, there is an urgent need to ensure the sustainability of buildings and assess the impact of climate change on all these factors. This complex balance can only be achieved with the involvement of all stakeholders and studying the actual and future needs of cultural heritage.

Authors are encouraged to publish their original theoretical and/or experimental research on hygrothermal behaviour of build cultural heritage, climate monitoring campaigns, simulations, preventive conservation, building rehabilitation, energy efficiency, climate control strategies, thermal comfort and indoor air quality, climate changes and sustainability.

Interdisciplinary studies and papers that incorporate more than one topic or more than one methodology (e.g., experimental, modelling, analysis, and optimization) are encouraged. Review papers are also welcomed.

Dr. Hugo Entradas Silva
Dr. Luísa Dias Pereira
Prof. Dr. Luís G. Baltazar
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Applied Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

This Special Issue’s topics include but are not limited to:

cultural heritage
preventive conservation
climate monitoring
hygrothermal behaviour
risk analysis
simulation
rehabilitation
energy efficiency
sustainability
impact of climate changes on cultural heritage
indoor air quality
thermal comfort

Published Papers (7 papers)

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Research

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21 pages, 2924 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Retrofitting Historic Buildings for Future Climatic Conditions and Consequences in Terms of Artifacts Conservation Using Hygrothermal Building Simulation

by Guilherme B. A. Coelho, Vasco Peixoto de Freitas, Fernando M. A. Henriques and Hugo Entradas Silva

Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(4), 2382; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13042382 - 13 Feb 2023

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1743

Abstract

Climate change will greatly influence the world at several levels and will have consequences on the interior climate of historic buildings and artifacts conservation. Buildings are responsible for a large slice of the overall emissions, which is due both to the greenhouse gases that are released during their construction as well as the activities that are performed therewithin. One way of counteracting this trend is to design more efficient retrofit buildings and predict their behavior using simulation software, which can thoroughly assess the performance of new buildings or the impact of each retrofit measure for existing buildings. In this study, a calibrated computational model of high thermal inertia building was used to assess the performance of passive retrofits in mitigating the effects of climate change concerning artifact decay mechanisms. In addition, a methodology that aims to reduce the amount of time spent to perform these studies is also presented, in which time savings reach up to 63%. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Hygrothermal Behaviour of Cultural Heritage and Climate Changes)

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29 pages, 13043 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Assessment of the Suitability of Non-Air-Conditioned Historical Buildings for Artwork Conservation: Comparing the Microclimate Monitoring in Vasari Corridor and La Specola Museum in Florence

by Fabio Sciurpi, Cristina Carletti, Gianfranco Cellai and Cristina Piselli

Appl. Sci. 2022, 12(22), 11632; https://doi.org/10.3390/app122211632 - 16 Nov 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1195

Abstract

The current energy crisis and the necessity to minimize energy waste suggest the need to assess non-air-conditioned buildings in terms of the need to install an air-conditioning system and to size and control it efficiently. This applies to historical museum buildings hosting artworks that require specific microclimate conditions for their preservation. With this view, this work analyzes the suitability of non-air-conditioned historical museum buildings to properly preserve exhibits. Therefore, two non-air-conditioned museums located in the historical city center of Florence, Italy, are considered as case studies, i.e., Vasari Corridor and La Specola. One year of indoor microclimate data monitored in representative rooms of the museums are analyzed according to the standard for artworks preservation and in terms of historical climate. Results of monitored indoor air temperature and relative humidity show that all monitored rooms are not suitable for the preservation of the exhibits without the installation of an air-conditioning system. However, to minimize the energy consumption, the hygrothermal control can be based on the observed historical climate that characterizes the environments, which presents acceptable preservation ranges much wider that the reference technical standard. In this way, the energy needs for the environmental control necessary to ensure the good conservation of the artworks can be significantly reduced. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Hygrothermal Behaviour of Cultural Heritage and Climate Changes)

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26 pages, 9624 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Resilience Adaptation Approach for Reducing the Negative Impact of Climate Change on Coastal Heritage Sites through Machine Learning

by Yasmine Sabry Hegazi

Appl. Sci. 2022, 12(21), 10916; https://doi.org/10.3390/app122110916 - 27 Oct 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1234

Abstract

The continuous cumulative worsening impact of climate change on heritage sites represents a new challenge for most of the nonrenewable resources of heritage sites and buildings in general; this is especially true with respect to coastal heritage sites, which are facing a more dangerous situation as the climate becomes more extreme in coastal areas and sea levels rise, putting heritage sites at risk. A strict adaptation plan, usually made for reducing the impact of climate change, may not be the solution, as different heritage site locations, materials, and hazard types need tailored plans. Therefore, in this research paper, a resilience approach was introduced to help adapt the most problematic sites to the impacts of climate change, i.e., coastal heritage sites. To fulfill the objective of achieving adaptation in a resilient way that can easily be developed in relation to different types of sites, mixed research methods were used. First, the literature was reviewed using the Connected Papers tool. Then, machine learning methods were used to process and analyze the input data of the resilience adaptation plan for an Egyptian coastal heritage site case study, i.e., Alexandria. Next, the data were arranged and analyzed, highlighting the main classifying algorithms responsible for identifying the resilience range, using the machine learning software packages Infra Nodus and WEKA, according to the differences in the climate change impact at the heritage sites. The final outcome of this research is a resilience approach that can be adapted to rescue plans for coastal heritage sites via machine learning. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Hygrothermal Behaviour of Cultural Heritage and Climate Changes)

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20 pages, 4849 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Indoor Air Quality in the Uffizi Gallery of Florence: Sampling, Assessment and Improvement Strategies

by Fabio Sciurpi, Cristina Carletti, Gianfranco Cellai and Cristina Piselli

Appl. Sci. 2022, 12(17), 8642; https://doi.org/10.3390/app12178642 - 29 Aug 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1649

Abstract

The assessment of indoor air quality (IAQ) in museums is a complex issue. In this study, a comprehensive investigation methodology was defined and applied to a museum to be validated. This methodology includes the analysis of exposed objects, the optimal conditions for conservation, the building features and the HVAC systems, and the indoor thermo-hygrometric and air quality conditions. In 2019, a survey in the Uffizi Gallery of Florence, one of the most important museums in the world, was carried out to assess the IAQ conditions in the museum, and the workers and visitors’ well-being, by focusing on some representative rooms (nine) of the museum complex in terms of visitor turnout and HVAC systems, including rooms closed to the public. Since IAQ is related to the possible presence and concentration of chemical and biological pollutants, these indicators, as well as thermo-hygrometric parameters, were monitored. The monitoring results were analyzed, evaluated, and compared with those suggested by the literature, guidelines and legislative documents dealing with IAQ in museums. Monitoring approaches for deepening investigations, as well as guidelines aimed at improving IAQ in the Uffizi Gallery and similar buildings are proposed. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Hygrothermal Behaviour of Cultural Heritage and Climate Changes)

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23 pages, 8710 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Overheating Risks and Adaptation Strategies of Energy Retrofitted Historic Buildings under the Impact of Climate Change: Case Studies in Alpine Region

by Lingjun Hao, Daniel Herrera-Avellanosa, Claudio Del Pero and Alexandra Troi

Appl. Sci. 2022, 12(14), 7162; https://doi.org/10.3390/app12147162 - 15 Jul 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2168

Abstract

Energy retrofits can enhance the liveability and efficiency of historic buildings while preserving their historic and aesthetic values. However, measures like improved insulation and airtightness may increase their vulnerability to overheating and climate change may further worsen their performance in the future. This paper investigates indoor overheating risks brought by climate change in retrofitted historic buildings and proposes effective adaptation strategies. Firstly, local weather conditions are analysed to identify homogenous climatic zones. For each climatic zone, “a business-as-usual” emissions scenario is adopted, and most representative regional climate models are selected to obtain hourly output of future climate projection. A comparative study is adopted where typical alpine residential buildings, “Portici house”, are simulated with regard to future energy use and indoor thermal state using the dynamic model in EnergyPlus. Energy use and indoor thermal conditions are compared before and after energy retrofit, as well as under present and future climate conditions. The results demonstrate that retrofit interventions could significantly improve energy efficiency of historic buildings in both present and future scenarios. A change in climate together with retrofit interventions will, however, result in higher risk of indoor overheating in South Tyrol. Potential negative side effects of energy retrofit could be controlled by adopting adequate shading and ventilation approaches that minimise, or eliminate, the risk of overheating during high temperature periods while optimising historic buildings’ energy performance. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Hygrothermal Behaviour of Cultural Heritage and Climate Changes)

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Review

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33 pages, 11879 KiB

Open AccessReview

Heat and Moisture Induced Stress and Strain in Wooden Artefacts and Elements in Heritage Buildings: A Review

by Giulia Grottesi, Guilherme B. A. Coelho and Dimitrios Kraniotis

Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(12), 7251; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13127251 - 17 Jun 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1898

Abstract

In the world of cultural heritage, a wide range of artefacts and buildings are made of wood and, therefore, are subjected to moisture-induced stress and strain cycles, owing to environmental fluctuations. Simultaneous action of moisture and mechanical loads lead to a mechanosorptive effect on wood. Therefore, an increase in time-dependent creep, due to mechanical loads, is observed. The assessment of these complex phenomena entails the use of advance and interdisciplinary approaches. Consequently, this article reviews experimental and mathematical methods to study these degradation mechanisms in wooden artefacts and timber elements in heritage buildings. The paper presents the results of a six-step descriptive literature review, providing an overall picture of the ongoing research. Experimental techniques need to be improved so that they are in line with the conservation principles. The combination of experiments and simulations is a reliable predictive approach for better assessing the potential risk damages due to temperature, humidity cycles, and mechanical loads in complex structures. Thus, advanced numerical simulations and mathematical modelling include climate data and experimental measurements. This work also provides an overview of research performed on different categories of cultural heritage characterised by multi-layer structures. The mechanical response to wood–moisture relation is affected by the level of complexity of these structures. Finally, the use of realistic models is limited by knowledge about the material properties and the behaviour of complex structures over time. In addition, research gaps, limitations, and possible future research directions are also provided. This review may represent a starting point for future research on the thermo-hygro-mechanical behaviour of wood heritage. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Hygrothermal Behaviour of Cultural Heritage and Climate Changes)

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22 pages, 4377 KiB

Open AccessReview

Hygrothermal Behavior of Cultural Heritage Buildings and Climate Change: Status and Main Challenges

by Luisa Dias Pereira, Nuno Baía Saraiva and Nelson Soares

Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(6), 3445; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13063445 - 08 Mar 2023

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1768

Abstract

This paper follows a bibliometric assessment methodology to provide a systematic review of studies devoted to cultural heritage (CH) buildings that simultaneously refer to hygrothermal conditions and/or behavior and climate change (CC) scenarios. Moreover, this paper aims at identifying the main research trend and research gaps in this combined research field, and to provide a critical discussion of previous works relating to CH, hygrothermal behavior, and CC. Scopus database was used for data gathering and export, followed by VOSviewer for network visualization. The advanced search on the database showed that only 36 documents have considered the study of these three subjects together, as of 2022. The majority of research has been carried out in Italy (27% of the relevant documents). This paper further describes some funded research projects on the topic of CH, hygrothermal behavior, and CC. It was concluded that the investigation on this combined research topic is very recent and scarcely unexplored, and further research is required to assess how future CC scenarios will affect the hygrothermal behavior of CH buildings. These new understandings are fundamental for all stakeholders involved in topics related to heritage conservation and assessment of the hygrothermal behavior of buildings. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Hygrothermal Behaviour of Cultural Heritage and Climate Changes)

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