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Climate-Conscious Conservation of Documentary Heritage: An Integrated Multiscale Modelling Approach

Objective

Climate change threatens our documentary heritage, while current preservation methods can inadvertently worsen the problem over time. Energy-intensive climate control systems not only contribute to the climate crisis but also exclude less affluent institutions from equitable access to effective conservation efforts. Moreover, limited understanding of degradation-environment interactions prevents confident relaxation of stringent climate control measures.

To address these challenges, I propose a revolutionary approach: developing a holistic understanding of paper-based documentary heritage’s interaction with its environment across all scales—from the molecular level to the repository. By integrating hygrothermal dynamics with material degradation kinetics through innovative multiscale modelling, I will significantly advance our understanding of the complexity in the degradation processes of documentary heritage, unlock its untapped environmental resilience, and revolutionise our ability to predict and prevent damage in conservation.

This project will begin by developing a comprehensive model that quantifies material-micro-environment interactions for detailed paper degradation analysis. Simultaneously, innovative multiscale hygrothermal models will be established to capture heat and moisture transfer from individual volumes to entire repositories. Finally, these models will be integrated into an open-source online tool for dynamic, spatially-resolved environmental risk assessment and predictive preservation planning. Global case studies will be designed throughout the project to validate the models across diverse cultural and climatic contexts. This pioneering methodology will transform preventive conservation by enabling precise degradation predictions, empowering data-driven decision-making, and catalysing a fundamental shift towards sustainable and inclusive heritage preservation in response to climate change.

Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)

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Keywords

Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)

Programme(s)

Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.

Topic(s)

Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.

Funding Scheme

Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.

HORIZON-ERC - HORIZON ERC Grants

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Call for proposal

Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.

(opens in new window) ERC-2025-STG

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Host institution

UNIVERSITAT FUR ANGEWANDTE KUNST WIEN
Net EU contribution

Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.

€ 2 265 860,00
Address
OSKAR KOKOSCHKA PLATZ 2
1010 Wien
Austria

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Region
Ostösterreich Wien Wien
Activity type
Higher or Secondary Education Establishments
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Total cost

The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.

€ 2 265 860,00

Beneficiaries (1)

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