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workshops
THE PROTECTION OF CULTURAL HERITAGE FROM AIR POLLUTION
The need for effective local policy,
maintenance and conservation strategies
PARIS (Louvre Palace)
15-16 March 2007
Joint workshop of the EU Project CULT-STRAT
and ICP Materials Task Force
of the Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air PollutionThe Challenges Addressed by the Workshop
Damage from air pollution presents a special cause for concern to everyone concerned with the protection and enhancement of Europe’s historic heritage. Unlike most ecosystems, building materials and physical artifacts have no ability to recover naturally – a key issue since the protection and retention of the historic fabric is crucial to preserving the character and value of Europe’s cultural heritage.Physical heritage -historic buildings, works of art, medieval glass, archaeological treasures etc – are rightly valued by society but are at risk of damage due to exposure to air pollution. The two main forms of damage are corrosion (this was principally due to SO2 exposure in the past but increasingly other pollutant effects are becoming more important as SO2 levels fall) and soiling (principally due to exposure to particulate air pollution). Although air quality legislation and emissions control technology have resulted in very significant reductions in atmospheric SO2 and black smoke levels, the increase in emissions from new sources, particularly traffic, has produced an atmosphere where adverse effects on health and building materials continues.
CULT-STRAT
The European Commission has funded the EU Project Assessment of Air Pollution Effects on Cultural Heritage – Management Strategies (CULT-STRAT) within the 6th framework programme (2004-2007) to address these concerns and to establish a scientific basis for developing strategies for policy and decision-makers at European and national levels and heritage managers at local level.ICP Materials
The International co-operative project on effects of pollutants including cultural heritage (ICP Materials) is a programme under the Working Group on Effects of the of the Convention on Long Range Transboundary Air Pollution within UN ECE which started its activities in 1985 with the aim of quantifying the effects of pollutants on deterioration of materials.
The Workshop
The purpose of the workshop is to bring together heritage building managers and policy makers and CULT-STRAT partners so that practitioner experiences and requirements are fully represented in the work of the project. This is an important opportunity for practitioners in the field to influence the policy review of the project and ultimately to help ensure that future policy properly reflects their needs. The project will be widely disseminated across Europe to appropriate local, national and international policy and decision-making bodies.
All participants will receive a copy of the Workshop presentation summaries, lunches and refreshments.
A range of key speakers has been attracted to lead the workshop from both the project’s partners and key practitioners in the field.
Issues that will be covered include:
Presentation of the project’s findings to date and the key issue facing the protection of cultural heritage.
Methods for estimating the damage (corrosion & soiling) caused to materials following exposure to air pollution, including differences between indoor and outdoor exposures.
A discussion and evaluation of prevention, maintenance and conservation strategies and plans.
The impact and importance of air pollution relative to other factors including an assessment of economic and legal issues and public attitudes,
Policy at local, national and international levels.Workshop Fee
There will be no fee for participation in the workshop. The participants are expected to make their own arrangements and pay their own costs for transportation and accommodation.
Date and venue
This important workshop will be held in the Centre de Recherche des Musées de France (C2RMF), Louvre Palace, Paris 15 –16th March 2007.
Contact Details and Booking Arrangements
For further information and to book your place at the workshop, please contactProfessor Ron Hamilton, Middlesex University: r.hamilton@mdx.ac.uk
Contact details for accommodation
Dr. Tiziana LOMBARDO, Paris XII University, lombardo@lisa.univ-paris12.fr
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