Principles of energy efficient museum buildings

1. Thermal control
2. Light control

After light, relative humidity is the most significant factor to be considered in

the environmental control of collections.Other environmental factors which affect
the preservation of objects, such as lighting and dust filtration

Temperature and humidity control in museums:

A 10 °C rise in temperature for example, approximately doubles the rate at which

chemical reactions proceed.

High temperature
-

- an RH of between 40% and 60-65% and temperature between 15 and 25°C is suitable
for a museum environment.
- Temperatures to be maintained within the range 15 – 25 °C, with a maximum
variation of ± 4 °C in any 24 hour period.
- Relative humidity levels to be maintained within the range 45 – 55 % with a
maximum variation of ± 5 % in any 24 hour period.
- cooler temperatures are beneficial to most artifacts.

Some of the ways that objects can be effected by:

1. Unstable RH
- fluctuations shouldn’t be more than +/- 3% relative humidity within a 24 hour
period.
- fluctuations in RH cause more damage than having a constantly high or low
relative humidity.

2. High RH
- constant relative humidity above 70 % can cause mould growth and increase
corrosion
- mould growth if RH levels go above 70%, especially when there is poor air
circulation.
- Corrosion of metals.
- Fading of dyes and textiles.
- Swelling and distortion of organic materials.
- Increased likelihood of insect activity etc.

3. Low RH
- relative humidity levels below 40 % may cause sensitive materials such as
paper, parchment and textiles to become brittle.

After light, relative humidity is the most significant factor to be considered in

the environmental control of collections. A common cause of high humidity is
leakage of rainwater through the roof or walls.

Recommended temperature and relative humidity ranges on a daily basis for

particular climatic zones
1. hot, humid climates (22 – 28 °C, 55 – 70 %)
2. hot dry climates (22 – 28 °C, 40 – 60 %)
3. temperate climates (18 - 24 °C, 45 – 65 %)

Controlling Relative Humidity and Temperature

Relative humidity and temperature control strategies include:

- buffering effects of buildings and storage media

- moisture-absorbing desiccants (silica gel and zeolites)
- natural moisture-absorbing materials such as wood, paper and textiles
- refrigerant dehumidifiers
- air conditioning systems
- the use of insulating materials
- thorough and well-planned building maintenance.
- careful ventilation of a building

references :
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Museum_environments
Environmental guidelines for museums - Canada.ca
https://manual.museum.wa.gov.au/temperature-and-relative-humidity
https://wallx.io/blogs/news/proper-height-hang-pictures#
http://dspace.srmist.edu.in/jspui/bitstream/123456789/45480/1/P12319.pdf
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK143277/
https://natashantone.com/home/2020/2/24/five-ways-to-display-art

Interplay of Light

Lighting plays a significant role in developing interaction between humans and

museum artifacts in one defined space.

There are three tasks for the lighting in museums, visibility ofobjects,
conservation of objects, and illumination of rooms, whichcan be realized by
daylight and/or artificial light.
As 50 lux is the lowest valuefor good visibility, this illumination often is defined
as maximumvalue for sensitive objects of paper or fabric, while 150 lux aredefined
for paintings on canvas.

Natural lighting conditions are adjusted preferably through cutouts, skylights

whereas artificial lighting is obtained through different types of light fixtures.

types : two

1. Natural lighting
- While daylight adds to the overall ambiance of the space, this light has negative
impact on artifacts. Thus, daylight and preservation of artifacts usually conflict
and must sometimes compromise for a museum design’s sake. Natural light has a high
light output and contains very high concentrations of Ultraviolet rays. These UV
rays are known to damage textiles and artifacts. In addition, light exposure will
affect artifacts.

2. Artificial light
- Typical interior artificial light sources include incandescent, fluorescent, HID,
fiber optics, cold cathode and LEDs. In museums, incandescent, fiber optic and HID
are the most common light sources. The smaller or more detailed an object is, the
more light is required. Therefore, the human eye has the ability to be very
receptive to light, but the amount of luminance and difference from one level to
another is a significant factor in lighting of a museum.