Climate for Culture 2019/2020 (7.5 credits)

About the course:

The course deals with three interconnected topics of key importance for a sustainable management of historic buildings:

• Indoor climate for both preservation and comfort
• Improving energy efficiency while respecting heritage values
• Climate change impact and adaptation: What are the risks specific to cultural heritage and how do we cope with them?

The course provides an advanced introduction to the scientific basis to these three topics. Case studies consisting of both individual historic buildings and historic districts will be analysed with an iterative process-oriented method which includes both technical and social aspects. The course integrates fundamental knowledge in engineering and conservation and critically discusses international guidelines and standards. Links and controversies between climate, energy and heritage in the past, present and future are presented and discussed.

The three main themes of the course are integrated in case studies where you will work with management plans focusing on energy and climate issues. Furthermore, you will be assigned the task of identifying a research question and writing a literature review on this topic.