DBU supports projects with digital tools / in Lower Saxony, Saxony and Bavaria
Osnabrück (ots) – A large fire can quickly cause devastating effects and damage in the millions, as the example of Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris shows. With funding from the German Federal Environmental Foundation (DBU), the Clausthal Environmental Technology Research Center (CUTEC) in Lower Saxony is developing a digital early fire detection system for buildings of national importance. The objective is to trigger an alarm using sensors before the smoldering fire starts. Two other projects in Saxony and Bavaria show how digitization can also contribute to the protection of cultural heritage.
Early detection and rapid response protect cultural heritage and the environment
At Notre-Dame de Paris cathedral, the great fire of 2019 spread through the entire wooden roof structure within an hour. Authorities attribute this to a short circuit or a carelessly thrown cigarette. According to the Institute for Damage Prevention and Research, these possibilities are among the main causes of fire. “Smoldering fires are often not detected in time by conventional fire alarm systems and quickly escalate into an all-out fire,” says Dr. Andreas Sauter, head of resource and systems technology at the Clausthal Research Center. According to him, extinguishing water from sprinkler systems causes additional damage to valuable cultural assets. “Only early detection and quick reaction can protect the national cultural heritage from the catastrophic effects of fires,” says Constanze Fuhrmann, head of the DBU’s environment and cultural property department. The environmental aspect is also important, as fires release greenhouse gases and substances that are harmful to the environment.
Fire alarm system tests in Bad Pyrmont and Goslar
Sauter explains how the fire alarm system developed by CUTEC works: “Before the start of a smoldering fire, the building materials heat up and the chemicals escape.” These are then “recognized by sensitive reaction sensors – they practically smell the escaping gases”, says the scientist. The sensors are to complement conventional fire alarm systems in the future and be tested with DBU funding in various cultural buildings in Lower Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt and Saxony. These include the castle island of Bad Pyrmont – a challenge for fire protection due to its location – and the World Heritage Site “Great Holy Cross” in Goslar, a half-timbered building erected in 1254. The DBU is funding the project with approx. of 120,000 euros.
Digitization to protect cultural heritage in Saxony and Bavaria
But not only fires, but also man-made global warming – the climate crisis – pose a danger to cultural property. “In summer, warmer days and longer dry periods are expected,” says Fuhrmann. According to her, the roofs of churches, for example, heat up a lot. This causes wooden beamed ceilings to dry out and cracks to form. According to Fuhrmann, this also occurs with cultural assets such as wooden altarpieces. “The weather conditions in the building and the damage to the wood can be better determined through scanning,” says Fuhrmann.
Two examples of current DBU funding show how this works: The Saxon State Office for the Preservation of Monuments in Dresden uses computers to carry out simulation calculations to research climatic peculiarities in roof spaces with wooden beam ceilings. The aim is to develop a planning tool for cities and communities with DBU funds of around 300,000 euros. In this way, historic buildings must be better protected from the heat. The second project is being carried out by the Bavarian State Office for the Preservation of Monuments in Munich. A sustainable protection concept is devised to preserve centuries-old wooden paintings. A wood panel painting of Freising Cathedral serves as a model. The artwork of the late Middle Ages suffers from drought. The research team uses various digital means for sensory and metrological recording of climate parameters such as temperature and humidity. There are also three-dimensional laser scans and time-lapse recordings, as well as computer simulations with different weather conditions. After an extensive preliminary investigation and risk assessment, the panel paint must be reworked and stabilized. DBU financing amount: around 360,000 euros.
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