Monitoring of Indoor Environmental Conditions of the Kvernes (Norway) Stave Church

Abstract

The proposed study deals with environmental data collected in the Kvernes stave church, belonging to the Møre type. The nave and the chancel belonging to the original structure, probably dated back to early 1600, are one of the few cases – among the 28 existing Stave Churches - still maintaining the internal wall painting, realized with a tempera technique in 1633. Due to its geographical position, the Kvernes church is particularly exposed to weather and consequently maintenance interventions have been carried out in 2015 (Stave Church Preservation Programme) to preserve the building. Previously in 2011 and 2012, 4 data loggers were installed to monitor indoor microclimatic variations basically referable to climatic external conditions, the performance of liturgical functions, and to the presence of visitors (depending on the periods of the year), since none active heating system has never been installed in the church. In the frame of the international research project SyMBoL (Sustainable Management of Heritage Buildings in a Long-term perspective) such environmental data were elaborated. They represent the firsts internationally published information from long-term monitoring campaigns in stave churches.

Full document

References

[1] Cultural Heritage Act of June 9, 1978. https://www.regjeringen.no/no/dokumenter/kulturminneloven/id173106/ (accessed on 08/01/2020)

[2] Bylund Melin, C. Wooden objects in historic buildings: Effects of dynamic relative humidity and temperature. PhD thesis. Department of Conservation; Göteborgs universitet. Naturvetenskapliga fakulteten, 2017.

[3] Napp,M., Wessberg, M., Kalamees, T., Brostrom, T. Adaptive ventilation for climate control in a medieval church in cold climate, Int. J. Vent. (2016) 15: 1-14.

[4] Olstad, T.M. Mediaeval wooden churches in a cold climate—parish churches or museums? Stud. Conserv. (1994) 39: 99-103.

[5] Lasyk, Ł., Łukomski, M., Olstad, T. M., Haugen, A. Digital speckle pattern interferometry for the condition surveys of painted wood: Monitoring the altarpiece in the church in Hedalen, Norway, J. Cult. Herit. (2012) 13S: S102-S108.

[6] Lehne, M., Mantellato, S., Aguilar Sanchez, A. M., Caruso, F. Conservation issues and chemical study of the causes of alteration of a part of the Stave Church in Hopperstad (Norway), Herit. Sci. (2019) 7:80.

[7] Anker, L. What is a Stave Church. In: K. Bakken (Ed): Preserving the Stave Churches, Craftsmanship and Research, Print Best OU, Estonia, (2016), pp.17-22.

[8] Olstad, T. M. Klimaregistreringer i Kvernes stavkirke 2011-2012. Averøy kommune, Averøya. NIKU Report 24/2013. Unpublished. 2013.

[9] EN 15757:2010. Conservation of Cultural Property – Specifications for Temperature and Relative Humidity to Limit Climate-Induced Mechanical Damage in Organic Hygroscopic Materials, European Committee for Standardization, Brussels.

[10] Camuffo, D., della Valle, A., Bertolin C., Santorelli, E. The Stancari air thermometer and the 1715-1737 record in Bologna, Italy. Climatic Change (2016) 139: 623-636.

[11] Camuffo, D., della Valle, A., Bertolin, C., Santorelli, E. Temperature observations in Bologna, Italy, from 1715 to 1815: a comparison with other contemporary series and an overview of three centuries of changing climate. Climatic Change (2017) 142: 7-22.

[12]http://sharki.oslo.dnmi.no/portal/page?_pageid=73,39035,73_39049&_dad=portal&_sche ma=PORTA L (accessed 08/01/2020)

[13] Olstad, T. M., Ørnhøi, A. A., Kjølsen Jernæs, N., de Ferri, L., Freeman, A., Bertolin, C. Investigation, monitoring, risk assessment and decision making for the preservation of distemper paintings in Kvernes Stave Church, Climate, Submitted.