Climate Statement for Heritage Organizations
For many heritage institutions, it is a challenge to practically integrate the energy transition within their existing operations. KIK-IRPA worked with national and international colleagues to draft a practical document for heritage institutions that suggests possible energy-saving measures in the short- and medium-term.
Heritage organisations such as museums, archives and libraries care for our heritage and try to make the fragile objects in their collections available to the public as much as possible, now and in the future. To ensure the future use of the collections, risks in their protection are reduced to an acceptable minimum. Besides factors such as light, pollution, physical forces and safety, climate plays a role. Organisations spend a lot of time and attention on a safe indoor climate where people and objects are comfortable. But controlling the indoor climate costs a lot of energy and thus puts a huge strain on the budget. What possibilities are there to save energy and still provide a safe environment for heritage collections?
Together with national and international colleagues, KIK-IRPA, FARO and the Dutch Cultural Heritage Agency have worked on a text that applies the already existing international climate guidelines within our region. This text, created by the experts of KIK-IRPA's Sustainability Unit, allows most institutions to implement energy-saving measures without endangering the collection. This Climate Statement is a first step and contributes to ongoing international efforts on preventive conservation and sustainability.
The document can be accessed below (available in French and Dutch).
Déclaration sur le climat
Klimaatverklaring
More KIK-IRPA news
An unforgettable evening in support of the Rubens chapel
On Thursday, December 12th, 2024, heritage enthusiasts gathered at the Saint James' Church in Antwerp for a successful fundraising dinner in support of the conservation and restoration of Rubens' tomb chapel and its artistic treasures.
On behalf of the Royal Institute for Cultural Heritage and the Church Board of Saint James' Antwerp, we would like to sincerely thank everyone – both those in attendance and other donors – for their support and generosity.
Conservation of the Ghent Altarpiece continues to reveal the unparalleled virtuosity of the Van Eyck brothers
As with the first two phases of the conservation-restoration project of the Ghent Altarpiece, the KIK-IRPA team has encountered extensive overpainting from the 16th century. The removal of the thick and often heavily darkened layers of paint requires significant time and concentration but gradually reveals the subtle nuances so characteristic of the Van Eyck brothers' painting technique.