Planning a Life Cycle Analysis Library of Preventive Conservation Methods

FAIN: PR-253401-17

FAIC (Washington, DC 20005-1704)
Eric Pourchot (Project Director: June 2016 to November 2019)

The pilot phase and development of a free, online Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) library and tool for conservation and preservation professionals. When completed, this library would help cultural heritage institutions evaluate the environmental and human health impacts of collection management activities including conservation treatment, storage, loans, and exhibitions.

This project will lay the groundwork for an online Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) library and tool that assesses the environmental and human health impact of sustaining a humanities collection.  The investigators will produce three representative Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) reports; document the most prevalent activities, products, and events that are part of collections care and access work in museums and historic sites; produce a beta version of a tool for evaluating LCA; and develop a plan for next steps to create a robust LCA library and online tool.  These new resources will allow custodians of cultural heritage to evaluate materials and approaches used to maintain collections, and enhance decision-making for care of all forms of material culture.