Sustainability Tools in Cultural Heritage: Life Cycle Assessment Examining Crates for Heritage Objects

ABSTRACT

The Sustainability Tools in Cultural Heritage (STiCH) https://stich.culturalheritage.org project informs cultural heritage professionals about sustainable choices through life cycle assessment (LCA). This paper focuses on one study https://stich.culturalheritage.org/crates/ that examines the environmental impacts of transporting cultural heritage. The study models four crate types crates single trip, round trip, and reusable. For each crate, three major material categories (exterior, interior, and wrapping) were analyzed, giving each configuration an environmental profile. The study compares these crate options over their life cycles, including impacts from material production, transportation, and disposal. The results show that reusable crate have lower impacts than wooden crates across a broad range of environmental considerations. Transportation dominates reusable crates and is relatively less important for single-trip crates. For single-trip and round-trip crates, foams can be a major source of greenhouse gas emissions. Actions that would reduce impacts include reusing the crate itself or its disassembled components. Lowering the weight of the crate, possibly by using lighter materials for the crate shell, would reduce impacts from transport. These findings can encourage further research and exploration of sustainable materials that perform similarly to the items they replace.

RÉSUMÉ

Le projet « Sustainability Tools in Cultural Heritage » (STiCH) [Outils de Développement Durable dans le Patrimoine Culturel] https://stich.culturalheritage.org informe les professionnelles et professionnels du patrimoine culturel sur des choix durables par le biais de l'analyse du cycle de vie (ACV). Cet article se concentre sur une étude https://stich.culturalheritage.org/crates qui examine les impacts environnementaux du transport de patrimoine culturel. L'étude modélise quatre types de caisses : trajet simple, aller-retour et réutilisable. Pour chaque caisse, trois grandes catégories de matériaux (extérieur, intérieur et emballage) ont été analysées, donnant à chaque configuration un profil environnemental. L'étude compare ces options de caisses tout au long de leur cycle de vie, en prenant en compte notamment les impacts de la production, du transport et de l'élimination des matériaux. Les résultats montrent que les caisses réutilisables ont moins d'impact que les caisses en bois sur un large éventail de considérations environnementales. L'impact du transport est plus important pour les caisses réutilisables que pour les caisses « trajet simple ». Pour les caisses « trajet simple » et « aller-retour », les mousses peuvent être une source importante d'émissions de gaz à effet de serre. Les actions qui permettraient de réduire les impacts comprennent la réutilisation de la caisse elle-même ou de ses composants désassemblés. La réduction du poids de la caisse, éventuellement en utilisant des matériaux plus légers pour l'enveloppe de la caisse, permettrait de réduire l'impact du transport. Ces résultats peuvent encourager la poursuite de la recherche et de l'exploration de matériaux durables dont les performances sont similaires à celles des éléments qu'ils remplacent. Traduit par Anne-Stéphanie Étienne.

RESUMO

O projeto da Ferramenta de Sustentabilidade para o Patrimônio Cultural (STiCH) https://stich.culturalheritage.org informa os profissionais do patrimônio cultural sobre escolhas sustentáveis por meio de avaliação do ciclo de vida. Este artigo tem como foco um estudo https://stich.culturalheritage.org/crates que examina o impacto ambiental do transporte do patrimônio cultural. O estudo simula quatro tipos de embalagens: viagem única, ida e volta e reutilizável. Para cada embalagem, três categorias principais de materiais (exterior, interior, e invólucro) foram analisadas, dando a cada configuração um perfil ambiental. O estudo compara o ciclo de vida destas opções de embalagens, incluindo os impactos da produção, transporte e descarte do material. Os resultados demonstram que as embalagens reutilizáveis tem menor impacto do que as embalagens de madeira considerando uma ampla gama de questões ambientais. O transporte impacta mais as embalagens reutilizáveis e é relativamente menos importante para as embalagens de viagem única. Para embalagens de viagem única e ida e volta, as espumas representam a maior fonte de emissão de gases do efeito estufa. Ações que reduziam os impactos seria a reutilização das embalagens e de seus componentes após desmontagem. Reduzir o peso das embalagens utilizando materiais mais leves no seu arcabouço, reduziria os impactos do transporte. Estes resultados podem encorajar outras pesquisas e a exploração de materiais sustentáveis com desempenho similar para itens a serem substituídos. Traduzido por Claudia Carvalho; revisado por Beatriz Haspo.

RESUMEN

El proyecto sobre Herramientas de sostenibilidad para patrimonio cultural (Sustainability Tools in Cultural Heritage - STiCH, por sus siglas en inglés) https://stich.culturalheritage.org proporciona información para los profesionales del patrimonio cultural sobre las opciones sostenibles, a través de la evaluación del ciclo de vida (Life Cycle Assessment - LCA, por sus siglas en inglés). Este artículo se enfoca en un estudio https://stich.culturalheritage.org/crates que examina los impactos ambientales que ocurren al transportar objetos de patrimonio cultural. El estudio analiza cuatro tipos de contenedor: para un viaje de un solo tramo (sencillo), para un viaje de ida y vuelta (redondo), y reutilizable. Cada contenedor se analizó en base a tres categorías materiales utilizados (exterior, interior y envoltura) y se le dió a cada configuración un perfil medioambiental. Acciones que disminuirían los impactos incluyen la reutilización del contenedor mismo o sus componentes por separado. El uso de materiales más livianos en la construcción exterior del contenedor podría reducir los impactos en el transporte. Estos hallazgos pueden incentivar una mayor investigación y exploración de materiales sostenibles que se desempeñen de forma similar a los materiales a los que están reemplazando. Traducción y revisión: Mónica Pérez y Mirasol Estrada; revisión final: Amparo Rueda e Irene Delaveris.

KEYWORDS:

• Art transport
• crates
• collection care
• sustainability
• carbon footprint
• foams
• reusable crates

Acknowledgments

The authors thank the following people who collaborated on the STiCH case studies and the information provided within them: Sarah Sutton, Meg Colbert, and Al Carver-Kubik. LCA Modeling Students: Aidan Travers, Corey Kershaw, Emily Eastman, Krissy Govertsen, Sarah Hossain, and Ying Wang. Figures and illustrations: Varnika Kundu.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Funding

This work was supported by National Endowment for the Humanities: [Grant Number Award #PR-268771-20, CFDA No. 45.149].

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Sarah Nunberg

Sarah Nunberg, is a private objects conservator, focusing on treatment, preventive care, and sustainable practices. She is a PhD candidate in the Sapienza di Roma National Heritage Science PhD program. Sarah is a principal investigator for three National Endowment of Humanities Grants for STiCH, Sustainability Tools in Cultural Heritage and was awarded the 2021–22 Adele Chatfield-Taylor Rome Prize in Historic Preservation and Conservation. She is an adjunct faculty at Pratt Institute in the math and science Department, received her advanced certificate in conservation and her MA from the Institute of Fine Arts Conservation Center at New York University, and her MA in archaeology from Yale University. E-mail: [email protected].

Sarah A. Sanchez

Sarah A. Sanchez obtained her PhD in Civil & Environmental Engineering at Northeastern University, Massachusetts, in 2023. She completed her MS in Engineering and Public Policy in 2018 and her BS in Civil Engineering in 2009 at Northeastern University. Sarah was an LCA researcher for STiCH, Sustainability Tools in Cultural Heritage, from 2020 to 2022. Address: Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering, 400 Snell Engineering Center, Northeastern University, 360 Huntington Ave., Boston, MA 02115, USA. Email: [email protected].

Matthew J. Eckelman

Matthew J. Eckelman, is an associate professor in the Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering at Northeastern University in Massachusetts. He obtained a PhD in Environmental Engineering from Yale University in 2010. His research group conducts environmental sustainability and health assessments and model development, focused on industrial materials and processes. In 2019, Dr. Eckelman received the American Institute for Conservation Special Recognition Award for Allied Professionals for his work on sustainability and cultural heritage. Address: Same as Sanchez. Email: [email protected].