SC & PCN
Managing Museum Environments: Reconsiderations, Reflections, and Resources
Sponsored by the Sustainability Committee in collaboration with the Preventive Care Network
The climate crisis is here; evidence has irrefutably shown that carbon emissions from fossil fuels are at its heart. In 2023, the United States Energy Information Administration estimated that the energy use from buildings accounted for about 37% of total emissions, and cultural institutions are no exception. Energy used to heat, cool, de/humidify, and light buildings is one of the biggest environmental impacts of the cultural heritage sector. With this energy use multiplied across an estimated thirty-five thousand museums in the US, the cultural sector’s carbon impact is significant (2014 IMLS data). Results from the Carbon Inventory Project (CIP) released in 2023 are staggering; the collective greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions associated with the 2022 energy consumption of the 80 CIP participants were more than 187,000 metric tons CO2e. This is equivalent to the annual emissions of over 41,000 gasoline-powered passenger cars.
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RATS
The Great Conference Migration: Scientists and Conservators
By Anikó Bezur for the Research and Technical Studies Group (RATS)
The 53rd AIC Annual Meeting is approaching, and this year’s theme, “What’s Your Story? The Power of Collaborations and Connections,” resonates strongly with the Research and Technical Studies (RATS)specialty group. Core to our group’s mission is to support those involved in research efforts in the field, promote the advancement of scientific research, and foster effective interaction and communication between conservators and scientists across all disciplines relevant to heritage preservation.
RATS is excited to collaborate this year with the Book and Paper Group (BPG), the Photographic Materials Group (PMG), the Imaging Working Group (IWG), the Preventive Care Network (PCN), and the Microfading Tester International Discussion Group (MFT-IDG), to offer joint sessions on imaging, lightfastness testing, and illumination policies, plus a luncheon introducing participants to the foundations of spectral imaging of cultural heritage objects. Other programs highlighting collaborations between conservators and scientists include two RATS sessions, a series of talks about BEVA adhesives organized by the Paintings Specialty Group (PSG), and presentations involving scientific studies of degradation and treatment methods, as well as technical studies in other specialty group sessions. See the program for the 2025 AIC Annual Meeting for more details.
read the full RATS article here >>