Weathered & Future-Proof: Climate Adaptation in Historic Architecture

This abstract constitutes a doctoral thesis, entitled "Climate Adaptation of Architectural Cultural Assets in Transition: Analysis of Past and Present Strategies with Regard to Climatic Impacts", which has been conducted since 2023 at the Otto-Friedrich-University Bamberg in the Professorship on Materials and Preservation Science. The research addresses a gap in the understanding of how historical buildings have adapted to climatic influences and examines their potential for modification in response to contemporary climate change. The present study provides a comprehensive overview of historic and current adaptation strategies and assesses their applicability in the German context.

The theoretical framework is complemented by a practical investigation of eight buildings in two open-air museums in Glentleiten and Bad Windsheim, southern Germany. A combination of building history analysis and practical measurements is employed to document the current structural and climatic conditions of the buildings. The methodology includes detailed building surveys utilizing non-destructive preservation techniques such as manual mapping, thermographic analysis, and climate monitoring.

Additionally, two methodological approaches are currently under development: firstly, an expert questionnaire will be designed to record how museum institutions manage the effects of climate change and secondly, a standardized documentation tool for recording climate-induced damage and corresponding protective measures.

The principal aim of this dissertation is to establish a comprehension understanding of the complex interplay between climate change and historical architecture. The insights gained are expected to enhance existing conservation strategies and inform the development of practical, sustainable solutions for managing built heritage in the face of climate change.