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.