Workshop on sustainability in conservation

"Heritage Science and Sustainable Development for the Preservation
    of Art and Cultural Assets: On the Way to the Green Museum"
International Scientific Workshop
Rathgen Research Laboratory
National Museums Berlin, Germany
April 11-12, 2013

The term "Green Museum" is brings together conservation science with
the sustainable development for the preservation of art and cultural
heritage. This involves three closely related issues: firstly, the
preservation and conservation, i.e. the widest possible extension of
life expectancy for our cultural heritage; secondly, the economic
and infrastructural conditions for it; and finally the ecological
energy and resource issue (energy efficiency, carbon footprint). In
the sustainability debate, these three aspects can only be
considered and evaluated together. The "Green Museum" is a museum
that embraces the concept of sustainability in its program, its
activities and its physical presence.

Here conservation science programs share a particular
responsibility. An important element of sustainable development in
the field of museums and monuments is preventive conservation with
all its elements, including the various challenges of climate,
temperature and humidity, light, pollutants etc. The professional
field of conservation and conservation science (Heritage Science has
developed continuously since the foundation of the Rathgen Research
Laboratory on the April 1, 1888 as the first museum aboratory,
especially in recent decades.

   "Heritage science is a field of endeavour that bridges the divide
    between the humanities and the sciences. By using and developing
    science to understand, manage and communicate the human story
    expressed through landscape, buildings and artefacts, heritage
    science encourages the humanities and sciences to collaborate
    and strengthen each others"

    This definition of "Heritage Science", as proposed by English
    Heritage, describes in a excellent way the synergetic
    interrelation between humanities and sciences, and it
    acknowledges the social importance of this domain.

    <URL:http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/NHSS/>

Conservation research activities have to focus and need to develop
modern concepts in interdisciplinary collaborations that are
consistent with both the primacy of heritage conservation as well as
environmental and financial desiderata. They must integrate all
three dimensions of sustainability, ecology, economics and society
in order to cope with the immense challenges of the future.

The international workshop, organized with the support from the
German Research Foundation (DFG) shall be held on the occasion of
the 125th anniversary of the Rathgen Research Laboratory. It aims at
bringing together leading scientists and experts for presentations
and discussions on three main topics:

    1.  Understanding environments

        Adapting to and managing environments: light, climatic
        factors, climate change, air pollution, biocides and
        integrated pest management (IPM)

    2.  Understanding material behavior

        Panel and canvas painting, paper and photography, modern
        materials including time-based media, wood, porous building
        materials, mural painting, metal, glass, textile, mixed
        media, composites and conservation materials in response to
        environmental factors

    3.  The economic and ecologic dimension

        Sustainability as key concept, re-evaluation of
        best-practices, tourism impact, capacity and capability,
        emergency and theft response

Registration to the conference, with or without active contribution
is encouraged. The registration fee is 150 Euro, students discount
30 Euro. The fee covers information materials, assistance to the
sessions and coffee breaks. After February 15 2013, the registration
fee will be 200 Euro (students 50 Euro). As seats are limited, book
soon to guarantee a place and catch the early bird rate.

Deadline for paper or poster proposals is January 15, 2013. Detailed
application procedures and further deadlines will be announced
shortly.

Information:

    Sonja Tesche
    +49 30 26642 7100
    Fax: +49 30 26642 7110
    s.tesche<-at->smb<.>spk-berlin<.>de

    <URL:http://www.smb.museum/rf>

Prof. Dr. Stefan Simon
Rathgen-Forschungslabor - Staatliche Museen zu Berlin
Schlossstrasse 1a
14059 Berlin
+49 30 326749 0
Fax: +49 30 326749 12


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                  Conservation DistList Instance 26:22
                 Distributed: Monday, October 22, 2012
                       Message Id: cdl-26-22-014
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