Energy Efficient Museums

Guidelines for the Design and Retrofitting of Energy Efficient Museums for Antiquities in the Mediterranien Countries

Main objectives:

prepare, evaluate and propose retrofitting energy scenarios for museum buildings in Europe,
define the particularities, differences and similarities amongst archeological museums in the Mediterranien countries,
evaluate the technical, economical and legislative potential for the application of retrofitting actions for the improvement of the energy efficiency and the overall environmental and spatial quality of these buildings,
define a common auditing and reporting methodology dealing with the energy characteristics of these buildings,
propose certain practical retrofitting strategies and actions for selected case studies and
inform appointed public servants, museum operators (including administrative, scientific and technical staff) and building designers on issues related to energy efficiency techniques and to the proposed actions for the particular museums.

Based on a thorough research on archealogical museums in five Mediterranean countries (including Portugal, Spain, France, Italy and Greece) that was carried out by the same team of participants within the frame of JOULE programme, it has been estimated that a total energy conservation of about 30-50% could be achieved by using techniques, such as modernisation (and replacement of obsolete) of M/E networks and equipment, use of night ventilation and ceiling fans, application of thermal insulation, external shading devices, advanced artificial lighting, improved HVAC systems and training of the operating staff.

Furthermore, the fact that these buildings mostly depend (and should depend) on natural lighting, which is the most appropriate for the kind of exhibited items (mostly sculptural, whose original place was outdoors) makes even more crucial the establishment of optimising techniques dealing with the contradicting issues of:

unobstructed daylight openings, but with appropriate shading to prevent overheating, coupled with advanced artificial lighting systems and
maximum natural ventilation openings, but with protection against external pollution.

As these museums are, but for a few exaples, state owned, application of the proposed retrofitting techniques could be easily implemented as far as "convincing the client" and "budget channelling" is concerned. This will significantly decrease the energy consumption of these buildings, while increasing their revenue influx as the amelioration of the exhibition space conditions will draw more visitors. The result will be beneficial, not only for the involved national economies but for the European Union as well, which in a large extent is subsidising this kind of cultural institutions.

Dissemination activities will include the production and distribution of brochures describing the selected case studies, publications of the results in the professional periodic press, a trans-national one-day seminar, an Internet information page and distribution of a report to museum authorities, state bodies and professionals interested.

Partners

Meletitiki - A. N. Tombazis and Associates Architect Ltd., GR
Ricerca & Progetto, IT
Energy and Architecture, FR
Seminario de Arquitectura y Medio Ambiente, SAMA S.C., SP
Instituto de Engenharia Mecanica, Polo FEUP (IDMEC), PO
University of Athens - Department of Applied Physics, GR