Smart Heritage is Telefónica's M2M solution to ensure the conservation of historical places

The Wall of Ávila and the Royal Monastery of Santa Clara in Tordesillas are the first projects in which Telefónica's M2M Smart Heritage solution is being used, which aims to preserve both historical places and the assets they house.

The Smart Heritage solution Telefónica harnesses the potential of M2M technology to ensure the preventive conservation of cultural heritage, whether they are historical places, sculptures, tables or documents.

A tool that has already been implemented in the Wall of Ávila and is used to monitor, monitor and study your condition. The project, which was presented this week, has been developed by Telefónica and the Santa María la Real Foundation, at the request of the Avila town council and in collaboration with a group of heritage experts.

The presentation of the Ávila Wall project was attended by Diana Caminero, M2M Manager Digital Telephone Management Spain, Juan Carlos Prieto Vielba, general director of the Santa María la Real Historical Heritage Foundation, Jose Luis Rivas, mayor of the Ávila City Council, and Rosa Ruiz, municipal archaeologist and head of the Ávila Heritage Unit.

For its realization, a network has been installed 60 sensors in four specific areas of the monument, that control aspects such as temperature, humidity, brightness, solar radiation, CO2 emissions or the presence of salts. In this way, The information and reports generated with the parameterized values ​​make it possible to complete the comprehensive management plan of the monument developed by the Ávila City Council.

Another space that already has this technological solution is the Royal Monastery of Santa Clara, in Tordesillas, where months ago more than 20 sensors to control environmental aspects such as temperature, humidity and luminosity; as well as other devices intended to detect xylophages, like termites, woodworm or fungus, that feed on wood.

In the case of this property declared of cultural interest, The sensors are located in three areas of the building: the Refectory, the Arab Courtyard and the Golden Room. Among the elements that have been monitored are Mudejar ceilings and plasterwork., frescos, original musical instruments and a chest from the 14th century.

Towards preventive conservation

The Smart Heritage technological solution aims to transform the current management model focused on the corrective restoration of assets towards a more efficient and sustainable preventive conservation, and that it is marked as rest to preserve both the historical places and the assets that they house.

It is made up of a network of wireless sensors that record and transmit the values ​​of environmental parameters to a central server., structural and access-security, all of them decisive in the conservation of immovable historical heritage.

Sensors monitor values ​​such as temperature, humidity, brightness, vibrations, accessed, etc., and are analyzed in real time and continuously by curators. Through environmental and structural monitoring, The solution allows you to know the behavior of the property and anticipate when making decisions about its conservation.. The platform allows, besides, Internet and mobile access to data and the creation of detailed reports through the web.

The main advantages of the system revolve around the ability to carry out preventive conservation of real estate., which allows to reduce costs, make investment in restoration profitable, improve the image of the property or element, and establish an environmental and social commitment for the enjoyment of heritage. It also includes improvements related to energy efficiency and security against looting or degradation., fires and floods.