The unique challenges of climate control for a museum

Sustainability presents different challenges in every sector. In the world of art and culture, Haskoning sees this reflected, for example, in the strict requirements for climate control in a museum.

The indoor climate is of great importance for the proper conservation of art objects, so that future generations can also enjoy them. But what if a museum's indoor climate is not right? Then it often leads to problems and, in the worst case, even damage to the art objects.

There is much debate regarding the strict climate control requirements for museums. Haskoning therefore closely monitors developments concerning climate requirements in the arts and culture sector and provides innovative solutions. This is also reflected in the design of the climate control systems for a museum in Belgium.

The original, outdated climate control system in the museum no longer met the requirements, meaning the art could no longer be properly preserved. For Haskoning, this presented a great challenge involving various areas of expertise (such as electrical and mechanical installations, security systems, and building physics) from the very beginning of the renovation. Thanks to extensive experience at, among others, the Boijmans Van Beuningen Depot and the Rijksmuseum, we know which requirements are necessary to optimally conserve the art collection.

Local climate control for art objects

Art objects place stricter demands on a space's indoor climate than museum visitors. For instance, while it is important for visitors that the temperature in a room is comfortable, humidity is less important. In contrast, the art in a room requires very specific ranges when it comes to relative humidity. It is crucial for the art that the climate is stable. Consequently, there are strict international guidelines that a museum's indoor climate must meet. This is not only to protect the art but also to qualify for the loan of art objects from other museums around the world.

For the museum in Belgium, Haskoning sought to optimize the climate, for the visitors, but above all for the art collection. To this end, we created an innovative, patented climate system. With this system, only the zone containing the art objects (on the wall) is climate-controlled to the highest standards, while the rest of the space is controlled to a lesser extent. By making the climate control in the museum as localized as possible in this way, the focus remains on the art and energy costs are reduced. Meanwhile, the environment remains pleasant for visitors.

Because this is the first time this climate system is being implemented, extensive research preceded it. We validated the concept using computer simulations involving airflow and subsequently conducted on-site measurements at the museum to see if it really works. And it does.

Climate control of monumental buildings

In addition to the unique demands of art, making the museum building sustainable also presents extra challenges. Museums are often housed in monumental buildings. Climate control systems in these buildings are frequently outdated and no longer meet the strict requirements for art conservation. Furthermore, the shape and size of the monumental building limit the space available for a new, modern climate system, which often requires more space than was previously utilized. This calls for creative solutions that introduce new technology into a monumental building without compromising the building's monumental value.

In addition to the limited space monumental buildings offer for integrating a new climate control system, the museum building itself often disrupts a good indoor climate. This is because the quality of the building envelope of a monumental building is inferior to that of a newly constructed building. This can cause external disturbances. For example, warm or cold air or moisture entering the building can disrupt climate control. Therefore, we also address the building envelope. Together with the architect, we ensure that the building is structurally optimal, with a positive influence on the indoor climate.

Installations well concealed in the design

As a museum owner, you want visitors to enjoy the art objects in a comfortable environment and not be bothered by the installations. In the architect's museum design, the existing museum spaces have been combined with new modern halls. Based on sightlines in the design, it was determined where the air grilles could be placed. This presented challenges, particularly in the existing halls with limited space, for example regarding the placement of the air ducts. Ultimately, the supply grilles were installed out of sight above a ceiling cornice and the ducts concealed, ensuring that none of the installation is visible.

The combination of new and existing spaces requires different locations for climate control systems throughout the building. Thanks to the addition of new halls, we were able to make smart use of the extra space and designed two technical towers. These house the climate control systems that regulate the climate control throughout the entire museum. From these technical towers, the conditioned air is then efficiently transported throughout the museum.

And what if there are problems with the climate system? To prevent this, a building management system is provided that allows you to monitor everything at the room level. As soon as something falls outside the desired bandwidth, the system automatically generates a notification, and the museum's technical management can resolve the problem.

With the new climate system, the museum once again meets the requirements for collection management and is ready for the future.

This article has been published on the FHI website with permission from Haskoning. The original article is on the website from Haskoning.