Social Contribution

Community social objectives which intersect with this project are the preservation of the environment and the application of knowledge which will assist in risk and damage assessment, and risk abatement. Improved preventive conservation measures taken to protect Europe's cultural heritage would allow continuation of opportunities for the public in their enjoyment and enlightenment by their cultural heritage. This will lead to an improved quality of life for this and future generations. Awareness generally of pollutant levels (i.e. indoor / outdoor pollutant levels) would assist in legislation for better quality of life. In locations such as Segovia (Spain) which remains a fine example of a 15th century walled city with a remarkable Roman aqueduct the measurement of pollutant levels would contribute to assisting local politicians in making a case for the banning of traffic from the walled part of the city. In Italy some measures with regard to traffic control have already been taken in that no traffic circulation at the present time is allowed in cities on Sundays.

Some of the sites that we have selected already at the outset of the project are priceless repositories of European cultural heritage and have been recognised as such by the large numbers of international visitors in evidence throughout the year. This relates for example to the heavily visited Vatican Museums where in corridors leading to the Sistine Chapel there are problems of crowding, windows are opened and there is concern for the alterations which may be occurring e.g. to the Gallery of Maps which is an important record of 16th century history and cartography. There are also many priceless treasures in the Vatican museums, which house one of the world's great collections of Classical and Renaissance art. Preservation of the conditions in which these priceless artworks are maintained is of the utmost importance, particularly to maintain the balance between accessibility to the many who visit, and reducing levels of damage occurring to the artworks.

With the environmental monitoring envisaged in this project to include monitoring of pollutants at each of the sites, this will bring an awareness to the curators and conservators of the nature of pollutants present, their levels, and indoor to outdoor ratios, and alteration products which form from interactions between various pollutants indoors. The range of selected sites includes El Alcázar in Segovia, a historic castle, and Spain's third most important monument which has many visitors throughout the year. It has no air-conditioning and there is in some parts a high rate of air exchange with outdoors due to open doors and windows. Measurements will be made in the Chapel (within the castle) which is close to open doors, and which contains a collection of important paintings. Directly in front of the castle is a small car park and close by is a narrow but busy road so some effects from traffic pollution may be present. Segovia lies at an altitude of 1000metres and during summer months the environmental monitoring station near the aquaduct has reported enhanced levels of ozone.

Environmental control systems have been introduced into the majority of National Trust houses but a number of its properties either have limited environmental control or environmental problems related specifically to their construction which are contributing to the deterioration of their contents. This detracts from quality of public enjoyment and needs to be addressed. It is within the context of European Commission projects with transfer of expertise and knowledge and the provision of funding that such problems can be addressed and conditions improved.