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Historic Indoor Microclimate of the Heritage Buildings

A Guideline for Professionals who care for Heritage Buildings

  • Offers readers essential insights into the relationship between ancient buildings, their original and current microclimates, and the introduction of new heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems in such structures

  • Highlights the advantages of adopting a microclimatic approach to the preservation of existing historic materials, by studying the original conditions of the buildings

  • Proposes a new methodology linking the preservation/restoration of the historic microclimate with attention to historic plants (not only HVAC plants) and new standards for the optimal preservation of historic buildings

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Table of contents (11 chapters)

  1. Front Matter

    Pages i-xi
  2. Architecture and Indoor Microclimate

    • Marco Pretelli, Kristian Fabbri
    Pages 1-22
  3. Indoor Microclimate

    • Kristian Fabbri
    Pages 23-71
  4. Historic Indoor Microclimate

    • Marco Pretelli, Kristian Fabbri
    Pages 73-83
  5. The Study of Historic Indoor Microclimate

    • Kristian Fabbri
    Pages 85-117
  6. The Investigation

    • Leila Signorelli
    Pages 119-128
  7. Buildings’ Indoor Microclimate Quality (IMQ): Assessment and Certification

    • Giovanni Litti, Amaryllis Audenaert
    Pages 129-144
  8. Design Criteria and Strategies

    • Marco Pretelli
    Pages 145-157
  9. Malatestiana Library in Cesena, Italy

    • Marco Pretelli, Kristian Fabbri
    Pages 159-183
  10. Villa La Petraia (Florence) UNESCO World Heritage

    • Kristian Fabbri, Leila Signorelli, Marco Pretelli, Cinzia Magnani
    Pages 185-222
  11. The Santuario della Visitazione del Valinotto, Turin, Italy

    • Marco Pretelli, Kristian Fabbri
    Pages 223-244
  12. Vleeshuis Museum: Antwerp (Belgium)

    • Giovanni Litti, Amaryllis Audenaert
    Pages 245-273

About this book

Offering readers essential insights into the relationship between ancient buildings, their original and current indoor microclimates, this book details how the (generally) virtuous relationship between buildings and their typical microclimate changed due to the introduction of new heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems in historic buildings.


The new approach to the study of their Historic Indoor Microclimate (HIM) put forward in this book is an essential component to monitoring and evaluating building and artefact conservation. Highlighting the advantages of adopting an indoor microclimatic approach to the preservation of existing historic materials by studying the original conditions of the buildings, the book proposes a new methodology linking the preservation/restoration of the historic indoor microclimate with diachronic analysis for the optimal preservation of historic buildings. Further, it discusses a number of frequently overlook
ed topics, such as the simple and well-coordinated opening and closing of windows (an example extracted from a real case study). 

In turn, the authors elaborate the concept of an Historic Indoor Microclimate (HIM) based on “Original Indoor Microclimate” (OIM), which proves useful in identifying the optimal conditions for preserving the materials that make up historic buildings. 


The book’s main goal is to draw attention to the advantages of an indoor microclimatic approach to the preservation of existing historic materials/manufacture, by studying the original conditions of the buildings. The introduction of new systems in historic buildings not only has a direct traumatic effect on the actual building and its components, but also radically changes one of its vital immaterial elements: the Indoor Microclimate.


Architects, restorers and engineers will find that the book addresses the monitoring of the i
ndoor microclimate in selected historic buildings that have managed to retain their original state due to the absence of new HVAC systems, and reflects on the advantages of a renewed attention to these aspects. 

Editors and Affiliations

  • Department of Architecture, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy

    Marco Pretelli, Kristian Fabbri

About the editors

Marco Pretelli’s areas of expertise include heritage conservation, the restoration of historic buildings, as well as the prevention and promotion of the same. He has also worked at the MIBAC (Ministry of Cultural Heritage and Activities) and is currently a Full Professor of Architectural Restoration and Conservation Theory of Historic Buildings and Heritage Conservation.


Kristian Fabbri, architect, has gathered substantial experience in the history of technical systems in buildings (the history of HVAC etc.), as well as building energy performance, indoor environmental quality, human behaviour, heritage and energy management. He is currently an Adjunct Professor of Building Simulation at the University of Bologna, Italy. He currently collaborates with Emilia-Romagna Region (Public Bodies), and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) trade and professional training organizations. He qualified for the post of an Associate Professor in Environmental Physics
and Nuclear Engineering (09/C2 ASN 2013) and in Design and Architecture Technology (08/C1 ASN 2016).He can reached at: www.kristianfabbri.com

Bibliographic Information

  • Book Title: Historic Indoor Microclimate of the Heritage Buildings

  • Book Subtitle: A Guideline for Professionals who care for Heritage Buildings

  • Editors: Marco Pretelli, Kristian Fabbri

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-60343-8

  • Publisher: Springer Cham

  • eBook Packages: Engineering, Engineering (R0)

  • Copyright Information: Springer International Publishing AG 2018

  • Hardcover ISBN: 978-3-319-60341-4Published: 06 November 2017

  • Softcover ISBN: 978-3-319-86841-7Published: 23 August 2018

  • eBook ISBN: 978-3-319-60343-8Published: 24 October 2017

  • Edition Number: 1

  • Number of Pages: XI, 273

  • Number of Illustrations: 60 b/w illustrations, 30 illustrations in colour

  • Topics: Building Physics, HVAC, Building Types and Functions, Building Repair and Maintenance

Buy it now

Buying options

eBook USD 119.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book USD 159.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book USD 159.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Other ways to access