Heritage under Threat. Endangered Monuments and Heritage Sites
A special issue of Heritage (ISSN 2571-9408).
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 September 2024 | Viewed by 8655
Special Issue Editors
Interests: built heritage and its conservation; conservation of archaeological sites; heritage science; climate change and cultural heritage; earth observations for cultural heritage; environment and cultural heritage
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Interests: climate change and cultural heritage; conservation; historical building repair; material characterization and performance
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Monuments and heritage sites worldwide are constantly being affected by environmental and other types of factors that bring about the deterioration of materials, structures and landscapes; these processes are accepted as part of the natural cycle of these buildings and sites. Other acute threats are considered more impactful and require immediate action, including floods and fire, hurricanes and cyclones, earthquakes and landslides.
In addition to the continued action of the above, climate change is today considered to be the main driving force accelerating previously existing threats, as well as introducing new ones. Gradual changes in temperature, precipitation, atmospheric moisture, and wind intensity, as well as sea level rise and changes in the occurrence of extreme events, are already affecting cultural heritage sites. In addition, sea level rise, desertification, and the interaction between climatic changes and air pollution have also been identified by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) as threats to the tangible cultural heritage.
Many studies and reviews over the years, starting from the early 1990s, have explored the effects of climate change on built heritage (Viles 2002, Brimblecombe 2003, Cassar and Pender 2005, Fatorić and Seekamp 2015, Sesana et al. 2021); the effects on archaeological sites and their contexts (landscapes) have also been studied (Rowland 1992, Daly 2013). Adaptation (and mitigation) measures are now also the subject of research (Haugen and Mattsson 2011, Cassar J. 2016, Sesana et al. 2018, 2020).
However, there are also anthropological threats, ranging from urban sprawl to neglect, from irresponsible interventions to downright vandalism and mere ignorance. In addition, we need to acknowledge the collateral and sometimes deliberate destruction of heritage during war.
The aim of this Special Issue is therefore to put a spotlight on the numerous risks and threats that our built heritage is being faced with. Whilst there is a clear emphasis on climate changes and its effects, other long-standing threats are also included. This Special Issue also wishes to highlight possible adaptation and mitigation measures to deal with these threats, as well as indirect consequences to the intangible, including livelihoods and wellbeing.
This Special Issue will therefore include papers from these diverse topics:
- Heritage Buildings, Archaeological Sites and Landscapes under threat from:
- Earthquakes, flooding, hurricanes and other forces of nature;
- Climate change and its consequences;
- Pollution (urban and non-urban);
- Anthropological pressures;
- War and terrorism.
- Adaptation and mitigation measures related to the above:
- Indigenous;
- Modern;
- Innovative.
- Review papers on legislation, guidelines and recommendations:
- International;
- National;
- Regional;
- Local.
- Overviews on the effects of tangible threats to buildings and sites on the intangible:
- Traditions and customs;
- Ways of life;
- Effects on tourism;
- Loss of landscape.
Prof. Dr. JoAnn Cassar
Dr. John J. Hughes
Guest Editors
Manuscript Submission Information
Manuscripts should be submitted online at mdpi.longhoe.net by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.
Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Heritage is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.
Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.
Keywords
- built heritage, archaeological sites and landscapes
- threats and risk
- forces of nature
- climate and pollution
- anthropological effects
- war and terrorism
- tangible affecting the intangible
- adaptation and mitigation
Planned Papers
The below list represents only planned manuscripts. Some of these manuscripts have not been received by the Editorial Office yet. Papers submitted to MDPI journals are subject to peer-review.
Title: Cultural Heritage under Risk: A Need of Integrated Approach
Authors: Paula Jimena Matiz-López
Affiliation: Cultural Heritage Faculty, Externado de Colombia University
Abstract: In several respects, the changing environment and its affectation over cultural heritage is no longer a prospective estimation rather than a current reality. In addition, a large literature has established a persistent association between climate change and its likelihood of altering daily life of communities. Considering the strong link between communities and their own cultural heritage, the study of impacts of climate change poses a challenging requirement: an integrated approach to reflect multiple variables. This paper has two main aims: first, to stress the interdependency between environmental and social variables. Second, it examines the need of holistic perspectives. In particular, the paper explores the prospects for systematic and integrated methodologies for the risk identification, analysis, and assessment. To conclude, the work argues about the effectiveness of adaptation and prevention measures when the integration of variables is considered.
Title: A Survey of Overheating in Historic Buildings in the UK
Authors: Benjamin Wright; Pakhee Kumar
Affiliation: UCL
Abstract: A study reviewing overheating in Historic Buildings in the context of extant climate change. Due to global warming, more research is required when considering summertime thermal comfort in the UK, which is a more significant topic of conversation due to the heatwave in 2022. With a large demographic of the UK population residing in dwellings with historic value, this paper aimed to contribute findings that review their specific traits in respect of overheating. This was achieved by monitoring and analysing internal (and external environmental data) in three case studies in the South-East. Upon examination of the literature, many buildings in the UK are consistently subject to temperatures that exceed overheating. It was found that many properties of historic buildings lend themselves to summertime cooling such as higher thermal mass, better ventilation (without the use of mechanical or active systems) and less insulation. This, however, could come at the cost of winter thermal comfort. All three case studies the surveyed buildings passed the CIBRE criteria, but users still commented on being ‘too hot’. The high recorded RH levels in all properties coupled with the inadequate overheating criterion were deemed the cause. There are new regulations in place to minimize overheating in new buildings, but no support for those that are already existing.