Environmental Data Analysis and Visualization

The collection of temperature (T) and relative humidity (RH) data is a ubiquitous component of collection management and plays a central role in understanding the preservation state of the collection, building envelope performance, climate control system operation, and loan policies. Such insights require that the data be analyzed and interpreted, with the results effectively communicated to stakeholders – conservators, collection managers, curators, facilities staff, engineers, and architects – with varying levels of expertise in environmental data analysis.

• Expand scope of temperature and relative humidity data analysis to improve understanding of collection environment
• Facilitate improved communication of findings with multi-disciplinary teams with widely varying expertise on environmental data analysis
• Present a range of free or inexpensive analysis tools as a toolkit to allow users to take advantage of the individual strengths of each
• Provide training and case studies on the use of environmental data analysis tools to lessen the learning curve and offer an analytical framework
• Highlight the need for increased collaboration between tool developers and users to improve current and future analysis tools

While the analysis of temperature and relative humidity data often relies on the native software from sensor/data logger producers, the cultural heritage field has developed and utilized various tools to examine this data from complementary perspectives, which can aid in facilitating environmental management decisions associated with object and collection conservation. Presenting these collectively as a toolkit allows users to draw upon the individual strengths of each, but such a collection can be hampered by limited awareness of the available tools and a lack of didactic support to foster its effective use.