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Hygrothermal microclimatic monitoring of an 18th century religious building using non-destructive testing and its implications for preventive heritage conservation
Journal article   Peer reviewed

Hygrothermal microclimatic monitoring of an 18th century religious building using non-destructive testing and its implications for preventive heritage conservation

Layla Iskandar, Carlos Faubel Alama, Paola Boarin and Antonio Martinez-Molina
Energy and Buildings, v 361, 117453
15 Jun 2026
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enbuild.2026.117453
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url
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enbuild.2026.117453View
Published, Version of Record (VoR) Open Access via Drexel Libraries Read and Publish Program 2026 Restricted CC BY-NC-ND V4.0

Abstract

Historic Building UNESCO World Heritage Building Conservation Microclimatic Monitoring Modern Cooling System
Nowadays, historic buildings are threatened by global warming and wider climate change impacts that have the potential to accelerate material decay and undermine both heritage value and environmental conservation goals. The preservation of these assets is therefore paramount for their transmission to future generations. Assessing environmental parameters and their impacts on the conservation of our heritage is the first and most important step in understanding and preventing the causes of decay that could lead to loss of material. This article presents the results of a microclimatic monitoring campaign conducted on the Mission Nuestra Señora de la Purísima Concepción de Acuña in San Antonio, Texas (USA), part of the San Antonio Missions National Historical Park. The historic church, listed as part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site, was the subject of an environmental monitoring effort tracking air temperature and relative humidity both inside and outside, using non-destructive, contactless sensors mounted on helium balloons. Indoor microclimatic conditions were examined under different environmental strategies for natural and mechanical cooling of the building. The monitoring results indicated that mechanical cooling emerged as the most effective strategy for achieving preservation-oriented temperature reductions. However, its implementation presents challenges due to the highly uneven distribution of cooling, which could potentially compromise the conservation of heritage structures and the thermal comfort of occupants. This research contributes to the scholarly and professional conversation on the connections between heritage and climate change urgency and informs future risk management and preventive conservation plans to enhance the site’s resilience.

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