New challenges in the field of heritage conservation and restoration
Daniela Pittaluga
Abstract. The problems of continuously growing world population, progressive consumption of natural resources, environmental challenges related to climate change, challenge the entire Mediterranean world. In Italy attempts have been made for some time now to provide answers to this continuous and progressive consumption of resources by seeking sustainable solutions from various points of view: zero soil consumption is one of the initiatives put in place. This in- volves directing more attention towards the historic built environment. Howev- er, how can interventions be carried out in an environmentally sustainable man- ner while respecting the specific characteristics of historic buildings? How to preserve the uniqueness of traditional building systems and that we through res- toration work should pass on to the future? How can structures in old buildings be made safe from a static point of view without disrupting their structural de- sign? For years, the University of Genoa have been collaborating on these is- sues with the CNR and University of Florence. Recent research has shown how some digital tools and technologies can help on the monitoring of the state of preservation. This enables timely action, lowering intervention costs and im- proving heritage conservation. Other research developed at national level on BIM systems, have shown that in the field of historical buildings and restora- tion, specific expedients are necessary with respect to ex novo interventions. All this gives rise to the need for more collaboration in the future between experts with knowledge of the historic built heritage, experts in diagnostics and materi- als scientists and experts in digital technologies and artificial intelligence to be able to intervene on historic buildings in a truly sustainable manner.
Keywords
Digital Technologies, Cultural Heritage, Restoration, Mensiocronology, BIM
Published online 1/10/2026, 8 pages
Copyright © 2026 by the author(s)
Published under license by Materials Research Forum LLC., Millersville PA, USA
Citation: Daniela Pittaluga, New challenges in the field of heritage conservation and restoration, Materials Research Proceedings, Vol. 58, pp 108-115, 2026
DOI: https://doi.org/10.21741/9781644903933-15
The article was published as article 15 of the book Emerging Research in Materials for Environment, and Civil Infrastructure
Content from this work may be used under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 license. Any further distribution of this work must maintain attribution to the author(s) and the title of the work, journal citation and DOI.
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