Developing green conservation and anticipating climate risks
Adapting to the effects of climate change, and the desire to reduce pollution and impacts on biodiversity, means rethinking the conservation and restoration of heritage works and sites.
The Ministry of Culture has been involved in these issues for several years. A dedicated professional day was organized in 2021 by the Directorate General of Heritage and Architecture on the theme of “green conservation”.
On the linked page are available videos of several interventions on the various technical topics discussed on this occasion, whether it is materials, of the space and climate management, of the reconciling different and sometimes contradictory imperatives. The Service interministériel des Archives de France (SIAF) and the Centre de recherche et de restauration des musées de France (C2RMF) have also published green conservation tutorials on the National Archives Portal.
The subject of green conservation is the subject of in-depth discussions in the professions concerned. Thus, an evening of debates on ethical issues raised by the ecological transition was organized at the end of 2022 by ICOM France, the French branch of the International Council of Museums.
Planning to adapt to climate change and anticipate risks
Develop and implement the Cultural Property Safeguarding Plans (BCSP) is a priority for places that preserve cultural heritage assets, including museums in France. These includeanticipate and of prepare the various risks to which the collections are already and will be exhibited in the future. These risks include, increasingly, the effects of climate change: more intense and longer temperature and humidity extremes, increased likelihood of fire, flooding, marine submersion, storm…
Since 2019, the Centre de recherche et de restauration des musées de France (C2RMF) has been coordinating a vast PSBC development project for French museums, by integrating issues related to ecological transition and climate risks. The deployment of the PSBC (drafting and implementation) remains uneven and must be intensified. The C2RMF provides online resources to draft the Plan for the Safeguarding of Cultural Property.
Download the C2RMF PSBC Help Manual
La climatisation comme sujet récurrent
Le contrôle du climat intérieur a commencé dans les années 1960 avec le développement de la conservation préventive et des systèmes de ventilation et de climatisation.
L’objectif aujourd'hui consiste à maîtriser l'utilisation de la climatisation, et optimiser le recours à cette dernière, afin d’assurer une stabilité du climat. Le travail sur les cibles de température et d’hygrométrie est ainsi renouvelé et affiné, à l'aune des enjeux environnementaux de sobriété énergétique et d'adaptation au changement climatique.
A savoir
Une des notions importantes en matière d'adaptation des conditions de conservation aux contraintes écologiques est celle de "couloir climatique". Au lieu de la valeur de contrôle unique habituelle, il s’agit d’établir une plage de contrôle avec des valeurs limites (minimales et maximales), qui changent en fonction des saisons.
Ce travail est mené par les professionnels eux-mêmes. Le C2RMF a notamment mis en ligne des fiches techniques thématiques et des ressources sur la conservation préventive, notamment sur le climat. L'outil "Cli-Matrice", également développé par le C2RMF, complète ces fiches en permettant entre autres d'anticiper l'impact d'une modification de la température sur l'humidité relative, de comparer les bilans climatiques de plusieurs espaces, d'appréhender la tendance climatique par saison…
Et en Europe ?
A l'échelle européenne, les musées d’Allemagne ont déjà commencé à mettre en place des mesures dans ce domaine, consultables en français sur le site de l’Association suisse des musées.
Dans un contexte de tropicalisation progressive du climat dans l'Hexagone, la réflexion est alimentée par l'expérience acquise par les musées et autres lieux de conservation dans les outre-mers. C'est le cas, par exemple, d'un travail mené par le C2RMF.
Enfin, il est important de rappeler que l’arrêt provisoire ou complet des installations techniques (fluides et traitement d’air) peut avoir des conséquences directes, rapides, potentiellement graves et difficilement rattrapables sur l’état de conservation des biens culturels.
Éclairage et économies d'énergie
Une priorité dans le cadre muséal est de passer à l’éco-éclairage qui consiste à remplacer les lampes à incandescence par des LED. De nombreux musées sont déjà équipés de LED, ce qui permet une gestion plus fine de l’éclairage en n’éclairant une œuvre que si quelqu’un se tient devant elle, ou en jouant avec la lumière naturelle tout en préservant de la chaleur.
The first feedback confirms that if investing in LEDs is expensive in the short term, it allows energy and budgetary savings from two to five years.
Beyond that, it is the entire energy management system that benefits from being reviewed and optimized, with management as close as possible to the needs, space by space, minute by minute. It is thus necessary to promote sustainable solutions in the field of development necessary for the conservation and enhancement of cultural property.
Initiatives & good practices
The project to extend the National Archives in Pierrefitte-sur-Seine is an example of good sustainable conservation practices. Regarding the building aspects, the architectural part of the tower preserves the maximum number of trees and increases the area of the garden, while a plant strategy allows to diversify the species and the heights of plantations, so as to enrich the range of existing species. Moreover the building is well insulated, the implementation of the different functions according to the orientation is well adapted to their uses. Regarding energy consumption, geothermal piles will provide heating and cooling with additional district heating, and photovoltaic production will meet part of the energy needs. We can also highlight the use of certain geo/bio-based materials or reuse. On the HVAC part, wide temperature and humidity ranges are adopted in the conservation stores, a minimum of new air is brought in and very high induction ducts are used, which allows to stir the air at a lower flow rate, while remaining as efficient as with more conventional sheaths. Two proposals are more unprecedented: we plan to reduce the heating and cooling of other areas in the evening, and we activate new air in offices and workshops only if they are frequented (via CO2 sensors).
Read the press release on the extension of the National Archives of Pierrefittes-sur-Seine
This contemporary art centre launched an experiment with Les Augures, “Couper les fluides”, between February and June 2023, during which it cut off almost all energy fluids – water, gas, electricity.
The MUCEM in Marseille has regulated the air conditioning of its rooms a degree higher in summer in order to achieve energy savings, without compromising the works, and also leads a policy of eco-design of its exhibitions. Since its creation, the museum has also relied on a thermo-refrigerated production plant, which, by using seawater and operating like a heat pump, reduces its energy bill by 20%.
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