The aim of this paper is to describe indoor microclimate monitoring at two different locations, Sandham Memorial Chapel, in Hampshire, England, and the castle El Alcázar, in Segovia, Spain. Piezoelectric quartz crystal sensors with novel humidity sensitive poly(ethyleneimine) coatings and Pt resistance thermometers were used to measure the relative humidity (RH) and temperature gradients across one of the paintings of the British artist, Stanley Spencer, housed in Sandham Memorial Chapel. The measurement period extended from December 1997 to September 1998. Each coated crystal was set in its own housing from which temperature and RH measuring circuits were connected via a cable to the computer. The 9 month monitoring period incorporated the range in seasons from winter through to autumn. Between December and February the RH at the back of the painting was found to be lower than that at the front. In March and April the reverse was true. Additionally, there were large spikes in the data in some of the months for both RH and temperature, probably caused by direct sunlight falling on the sensors. At the second site monitoring was performed for a shorter period, from December 1997 to early January 1998. It served, however, to show that abrupt changes can occur in the microclimate surrounding the painting. These fluctuations can with time lead to alterations to the paint surface and result eventually in cracking and damage to the art work.
The paper describes the issues and processes associated with controlling the internal environment in historic National Trust buildings that are open to the public, with the aim of slowing the rates of deterioration of the collections, and decorative interiors, without causing damage to the structure. The paper shows how environmental monitoring is providing knowledge of the building performance prior to any services project and also sets out the current National Trust Environmental Control Strategy. Conservation heating is proving extremely successful at stabilizing environmental conditions and reducing the remedial conservation requirement of the collections. Other control methods, such as buffered microclimates and dehumidification are mentioned briefly, along with the current issues of ventilation, choices of insulation and fuel.
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