New approach for climate control in managing cultural collections housed in heritage buildings

• Main Author: Muhammad Ilmam Tharazi
• Format: Conference or Workshop Item
• Language: English
• Published: 2012
• Online Access: http://discol.umk.edu.my/id/eprint/8922/1/Paper%201.pdf; http://discol.umk.edu.my/id/eprint/8922/

Cultural objects in museum are usually kept in controlled environment which rely heavily on air-conditioning systems to ensure that a stable climate is maintained in order to prevent the objects from deterioration. But based on “content analysis” made on recent museum guidelines and new methods on climate control, the notion that museum needs to have tight control environment can be challenged. As many of heritage buildings were being converted into museums, heavy changes were made to those buildings in order to accommodate the air-conditioning systems. These lead to some of the architectural features and defining characters being removed or altered. However those same features which were built to response with the climatic conditions may help to contribute a better indoor environment for the collections. Several visual observations made on selected case studies showed that they were designed to deal with climate passively and able to regulate the temperature and relative humidity, which can be utilized by the museums. This paper hopes to provide answers and examples of how by incorporating passive design in converting heritage buildings into museums not only can preserve the authenticity of the buildings, but also for the benefits of preserving the cultural collections inside.