Conversations with Change Makers - Strategies for Reducing the Energy Consumption of Buildings (July Webinar)

The AIC Sustainability Committee, in collaboration with the ICON Sustainability Network, is excited to announce the fifth in a series of webinars during which we chat with conservators and allied professionals who are implementing changes to reduce the energy consumption of their buildings. 

The energy used to heat, cool, de/humidify, and light buildings is one of the biggest environmental impacts of the cultural heritage sector.  After decades of regarding one-size-fits-all, non-fluctuating indoor environmental parameters as the gold standard, the field is now questioning the value of this approach.  And as the recent deadly heat in the South and the toxic air pollution from Canadian forest fires that is choking out the Northeast and Midwest remind us, the need for change is urgent.

On Thursday July 13th 11:30 - 12:30 ET, we will talk with Christopher Dunbrack, Associate Buildings Manager at The MET Cloisters, and Bethann Heinbaugh, Head of Preventive Conservation, and Brock Manville, Energy Manager, at the National Gallery of Art about the energy-savings strategies implemented at their institutions which include pursuit of geothermal energy and widening the range of climate setpoints. The MET Cloisters houses the MET’s medieval collection which is displayed in a modern museum made from original elements of castles, monasteries, and churches. The Cloisters’ collection includes textiles, polychromy, stained glass, and more. The National Gallery of Art in Washington D.C. is a center for visual art, culture, and education. Its collection includes paintings, sculpture, decorative arts, and prints and drawings.