Podcast: Modelling for decision-making: simulating the building environment (UK National Archives)

This talk summarises the outcomes of the Building Environment Simulation (BES) project and discusses next steps in the care of the collection of The National Archives in view of sustainability and energy saving targets. This imaginative 22-month collaborative research project between The National Archives and UCL's Centre for Sustainable Heritage delivered a highly complex computer model that simulates environmental conditions in the three main repositories at The National Archives. The outcomes of the research demonstrated the real potential of computer modelling for managing collections since it demonstrated that energy use could be cut significantly without damaging the collection. The project developed further state-of-the art-technologies to explore environmental scenarios, and demonstrated the power of research evidence to change conservation practice. Kostas Ntanos is Head of Conservation Research and Development at The National Archives. He trained as a conservator in Greece and received an MA in Conservation Science from the Royal College of Art and Victoria & Albert Museum Conservation Course in 2005, before joining the Collection Care Department at The National Archives.