The HeritageCARE project is part of the Interreg-SUDOE programme and is dedicated to implement a monitoring and preventive conservation system on the heritage with historical and cultural value in south-western Europe. The aim is to develop an integrated and sustainable monitoring strategy, creating a non-profit entity that will periodically inspect buildings, advising and alerting building owners to good conservation practices.
From Portugal, in addition to UMinho, through the Institute for Sustainability and Innovation in Structural Engineering (ISISE) and the Institute for Bio-Sustainability (IB-S), the Regional Northern Culture Directorate and the Centre for Computer Graphics are also present. The Foundation Santa Maria La Real of Historical Heritage, the University of Salamanca and the Andalusian Institute of Historical Heritage are taking part from Spain and the universities of Limoges and Blaise Pascal from France.
“The aim of this project is to take regular actions of preventive inspection together with the owners in advance”, the professor of Department of Civil Engineering of the EEUM, Luís Ramos, explains. After the diagnosis stage, the owners will be advised by inspectors to execute minor actions to safeguard their heritage, in order to avoid additional costs.
The ultimate aim of HeritageCARE is to create a non-profit entity that is self-sustained and guarantees the sustainability of results in the future. “This is a project for people. We are going to bring the best of our research centres to society, in regards to preventive conservation and monitoring”, Luís Ramos clarifies.
The researcher has no doubt that the project deserves EU support because it will contribute to the regional development in southern Europe. “There is a lot in common between Portugal, Spain and France and the approach towards heritage is very similar. If we define a methodology based on scientific criteria, we are able to apply it in the three countries”, he highlights. The project aims to be extended to other countries such as Italy, leader in heritage classified by UNESCO. However, this will only happen at a later stage, when the methodology is already defined and implemented.
The HeritageCARE also counts on 11 partners in the field, including the Portuguese Historical Houses Association, the Archdiocese of Braga, the Guild of Heritage, the Spanish Association of Cultural Heritage Managers, the Clermont-Ferrand School of Architecture, among others.
This project, under the leadership of UMinho, involves eight beneficiary partners and will count with 1.68 million euros coming from European funds of Interreg-SUDOE programme, from which 1.28 million euros will be funded through the European Regional Development Fund (FEDER).
