Microclimate monitoring and conservation issues of a Baroque church in Italy: a risk assessment analysis

The preservation of historic churches and their most precious artefacts usually includes a monitoring campaign of the indoor microclimate conditions. This research presents the information that can be obtained through the application of a novel set of risk indices to the monitored data acquired in a Baroque church of the 18th century in Italy. The main risks found with this comprehensive methodology, i.e. the biological risk that induces the growth of mould and the chemical and mechanical risks due to unsuitable indoor parameters, would not have been identifiable using the traditional approach based on the National UNI 10829 Standard. Indeed, such an approach only shows that indoor air temperature (below 15°C for 71% of the time) and relative humidity (over 85% for 73% of the time) are outside the range suggested for the conservation of the frescoes. On the other hand, the indications provided through risk indices can be used for more detailed information on the nature of the risks to assess, also in the case of a low-resolution monitoring campaign, so as to benefit the conservation of the widespread heritage inventory, for which funding is usually scarce.