Suitability of Some Existing Damage Indexes for Regulating Contracts Between Curators of Museums and HVAC Maintenance and Management Companies

Abstract

Heating, Ventilating and Air-Conditioning (HVAC) systems in museums are called to properly control important microclimate parameters, not only for visitors’ wellbeing, but mostly for works of art preservation. Accordingly, in case of interruptions occurring to HVAC systems, due to maintenance interventions or drawbacks, it is essential to guarantee the shortest possible period of disservice to which possible damages for the works of art are related. In this regard the aim of this work is to introduce a protocol to follow to support curators in regulate the stipulation of contracts with external companies for a more effective management and maintenance of the HVAC systems in order to preserve the works of art, by integrating into the contracts economic penalties related to the system’s disservice period. The feasibility of this new procedure has been checked by means of a case study involved the “Museo Regionale” of Palermo (Italy).