The Effects of Air Pollution on Cultural Heritage

Abstract

), except for brief excerpts in connection with reviews or scholarly analysis. Use in connection with any form of information storage and retrieval, electronic adaptation, computer software, or by similar or dissimilar methodology now known or hereafter developed is forbidden. The use in this publication of trade names, trademarks, service marks, and similar terms, even if they are not identified as such, is not to be taken as an expression of opinion as to whether or not they are subject to proprietary rights.Cover illustration: The cover image shows cherubs damaged by both soiling and corrosion. They are on the outside of St Mary Woolnoth, a fine Hawksmoor Church in the City of London. Our thanks to The Revd Andrew Walker for his permission.Printed on acid-free paper springer.com PrefaceManaging the risk to our heritage is, of course, an enormously diverse and complex task, reflecting as it does the tremendous variety of history, style, art and culture that is represented. We have many different types of monument, they are made of many different materials, they range in age over centuries and they are located in radically different environments. Air pollution is only one of the risks that threaten this heritage and may frequently not be the most pressing. In addition we have the added complication that weathering occurs naturally and indeed is often felt to contribute to a sense of age and serenity that is fundamental to the way that we value our ancient buildings.The damage done by air pollution, however, is real, measurable and in many cases obvious. Our industrial development has left us with a legacy of faceless statues and blackened buildings that will take many years to repair and conserve, even when pollution levels are sufficiently reduced to make it sensible to do so. There are important questions to be asked. How much damage has been done and is being done? What is this costing us? How can we be practical in our conservation to prevent unnecessary loss while protecting context and artistic merit? How much value do people actually place on intangibles like the peace of a Gothic Cathedral and how can we account for these very real benefits and others like them (such as the desire to pass on our legacy to our children and grandchildren) in order to help us raise the money to carry out our repairs and maintenance?The threat posed to cultural heritage, especially built heritage, by air pollution has been studied for many years and this book is designed to bring together a number of strands of that research to make it accessible to the people responsible for looking after our historic buildings, monuments and artefacts. It will help both these heritage managers to prioritise conservation action in response to this threat within the context of other risks and also environmental policy makers to evaluate the economic benefit of taking action to improve air quality.We look at the way that buildings weather in the natural environment and then show how pollution adds an extra dimension of damage. We focus on tw...

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