Advanced Technologies for the Smart Management of Indoor Microclimates in Historic Cultural Heritage Environments
Organizers’ contacts:
Dr. Mariangela De Vita — Department of Engineering, ICT, Energy, and Transportation (DIITET), National Research Council of Italy
Piazzale Aldo Moro, 7 – 00185 Roma, Italy
mariangela.devita@cnr.it
Dr. Ludovico Danza — Institute for Construction Technologies (ITC), National Research Council of Italy
ludovico.danza@itc.cnr.it
Abstract
The sustainable use of cultural heritage environments requires a careful balance between the protection and preservation of their historical and artistic values and the need to ensure comfort, well-being, and an enhanced aesthetic experience for occupants and visitors. Indoor microclimate management plays a key role in achieving this balance: inadequate environmental conditions—often caused by improper use or management—can compromise the conservation of sensitive materials, while overly restrictive constraints may reduce the quality of the user experience.
This special session aims to explore the potential of emerging technologies to support smart and integrated management of indoor conditions in heritage buildings. It focuses on innovative approaches that combine non-destructive diagnostics, IoT-based sensor networks, digital platforms for data integration, predictive and AI-driven models, and automated response systems. These technologies enable continuous monitoring of environmental parameters, early detection of threshold exceedances, and real-time activation of compensatory strategies to safeguard heritage assets while ensuring optimal indoor comfort.
Contributions are welcome on topics such as advanced environmental monitoring tools, integrated microclimate management platforms, AI-based decision support systems, automated HVAC and ventilation control, and predictive models for preventive conservation. Submissions addressing visitor experience, including the enhancement of the aesthetic and experiential dimensions of heritage fruition, are also encouraged.
By bringing together researchers, practitioners, cultural institutions, and technology developers, this session will foster a multidisciplinary dialogue on how emerging technologies can contribute to the sustainable, intelligent, and balanced management of historic indoor environments—simultaneously safeguarding heritage value and enhancing user experience.
Topics of Interest
- IoT sensor networks for indoor microclimate monitoring in heritage buildings
- Non-destructive diagnostics and environmental assessment methods
- Digital platforms for integrated management of environmental constraints
- AI and predictive models for microclimate regulation and preventive conservation
- Automated alert systems and threshold-based risk management
- Smart actuators and automated HVAC/ventilation control in historic environments
- Data-driven approaches to balancing conservation needs and visitor comfort
- Visitor experience enhancement and aesthetic quality in heritage fruition
- Sustainable and energy-efficient environmental management in protected sites
- Governance models for deploying emerging technologies in heritage contexts