CEN/TC 346/WG 7 - Specifying and measuring Indoor/outdoor climate

This European Standard gives guidelines for ventilation management in order to improve the preservation conditions of cultural heritage buildings and their collections. At the same time, it is aimed to create an indoor environment for a sustainable use of these buildings and their collections. This standard is a complement to existing general standards for ventilation that are focused on human comfort.
This European Standard is the second part of a standard on indoor climate in cultural heritage buildings, i.e. EN 15759 1:2011. It should be used together with the first part when considering selection of heating strategies and heating systems for cultural heritage buildings, or buildings housing collections. It may be also used when considering other issues, e.g. assessment of buildings, interiors and contents, or improvements for the energy performance.
This European Standard deals with indoor climate conditions, ventilation strategies and generic technical solutions for their implementation but not with the technical equipment itself.

This European Standard is aimed to inform and assist users in the choice and use of the most appropriate method to obtain reliable measurements of the moisture content, or water content, in wood and masonry (including brickwork, stonework, concrete, gypsum, mortars, etc.) in the specific case of the built cultural heritage.
It provides a basic framework to take and interpret this kind of measurements on the above cultural heritage materials that have undergone weathering, pest attack, salt migration or other transformations over time.
It specifies four absolute methods (i.e. gravimetric, Karl Fischer titration, azeotropic distillation and calcium carbide); explains their characteristics, pros and cons, and gives specifications for the transformation of readings into the same unit to make measurements taken with different methods comparable.
It specifies the three principal relative methods (i.e. electrical resistance, capacitance, and relative humidity in equilibrium with the material), pointing out their characteristics and uncertainties when used in the field of cultural heritage.
In addition, it provides an informative overview of ten other relative methods, their characteristics, pros and cons.
It gives specifications for the calibration of the various methods. It also compares the above methods in relation to their accuracy, sampling requirement, sample size, laboratory or field use, and other problems encountered in the field of cultural heritage to prevent instrument misuse, reduce uncertainties and avoid reading misinterpretation.

This European Standard gives guidance and specifies procedures and instruments for the measurement of relative humidity (RH) in air, in outdoor or indoor environments. It indicates how RH can be directly measured or how it can be calculated from air temperature, wet-bulb temperature and dew-point temperature. This standard contains recommendations for accurate measurements of ambient conditions and moisture exchanges between air and cultural heritage objects. It is addressed to anyone in charge of environmental diagnosis, conservation or maintenance of buildings, collections or single objects.

This European Standard provides guidelines for the selection of heating strategies and heating systems in churches, chapels and other places of worship such as mosques and synagogues, in order to prevent damage to cultural property while at the same time creating an indoor climate that allows for a sustainable use of these buildings. It applies to most kinds of places of worship regardless of size and construction. This European Standard applies not only to the introduction of new heating systems but also to the replacement of old ones.
This European Standard applies to buildings that are part of cultural heritage or that house cultural heritage objects. This European Standard deals with indoor climate conditions, heating strategies and technical solutions for their implementation but not with the technical equipment itself.

This European Standard is a guide specifying temperature and relative humidity levels to limit climate-induced physical damage of hygroscopic, organic materials, kept in long-term storage or exhibition (more than one per year) in indoor environments of museums, galleries, storage areas, archives, libraries, churches and modern or historical buildings.

This European Standard recommends the procedures for measuring the temperature of the air and of the surfaces of cultural property in indoor and outdoor environments, as well as specifying the minimum characteristics of instruments for such measurements.
This document contains recommendations for accurate measurements to ensure the safety of objects and it is addressed to any people with the responsibility of the environment, its diagnosis, the conservation or maintenance of buildings, collections, or single object.