Historic Indoor Microclimate of the Heritage Buildings ― A Guideline for Professionals Who Care for Heritage Buildings

Offering readers essential insights into the relationship between ancient buildings, their original and current indoor microclimates, this book details how the (generally) virtuous relationship between buildings and their typical microclimate changed due to the introduction of new heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems in historic buildings.

The new approach to the study of their Historic Indoor Microclimate (HIM) put forward in this book is an essential component to monitoring and evaluating building and artefact conservation. Highlighting the advantages of adopting an indoor microclimatic approach to the preservation of existing historic materials by studying the original conditions of the buildings, the book proposes a new methodology linking the preservation/restoration of the historic indoor microclimate with diachronic analysis for the optimal preservation of historic buildings. Further, it discusses a number of frequently overlook

In turn, the authors elaborate the concept of an Historic Indoor Microclimate (HIM) based on “Original Indoor Microclimate” (OIM), which proves useful in identifying the optimal conditions for preserving the materials that make up historic buildings.

The book’s main goal is to draw attention to the advantages of an indoor microclimatic approach to the preservation of existing historic materials/manufacture, by studying the original conditions of the buildings. The introduction of new systems in historic buildings not only has a direct traumatic effect on the actual building and its components, but also radically changes one of its vital immaterial elements: the Indoor Microclimate.

Architects, restorers and engineers will find that the book addresses the monitoring of the i

Marco Pretelli’s areas of expertise include heritage conservation, the restoration of historic buildings, as well as the prevention and promotion of the same. He has also worked at the MIBAC (Ministry of Cultural Heritage and Activities) and is currently a Full Professor of Architectural Restoration and Conservation Theory of Historic Buildings and Heritage Conservation.

Kristian Fabbri, architect, has gathered substantial experience in the history of technical systems in buildings (the history of HVAC etc.), as well as building energy performance, indoor environmental quality, human behaviour, heritage and energy management. He is currently an Adjunct Professor of Building Simulation at the University of Bologna, Italy. He currently collaborates with Emilia-Romagna Region (Public Bodies), and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) trade and professional training organizations. He qualified for the post of an Associate Professor in Environmental Physics