SPIE creates perfect artwork preservation conditions at the new BRUSK arts centre in Bruges
SPIE Belgium installed a state-of-the-art HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning) system at BRUSK, the new arts centre in the heart of Bruges. This work demonstrates the company's key role in the long-term preservation of paintings and works on paper on display at the centre by maintaining an optimal climate.
The BRUSK arts centre comprises a public space with two large exhibition halls as well as an administrative area and a logistics wing with storerooms for collections, a restoration workshop and research and logistics spaces. SPIE has installed heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems that comply with the highest artwork protection standards in the underground technical space.
Energy-saving precision solutions for a controlled climate
The exhibition rooms and workshops always have a stable room climate with a consistent temperature of 20.5°C (± 2°C) and a relative humidity of 52% (± 5%). A ventilation system controlled by multiple CO? sensors is fitted in certain special areas, with ventilation being adjusted to reflect how many people are present in the rooms. These systems are essential for preserving artworks and ensuring that the overall air quality is high.
The technical infrastructure includes three heat pumps – one air/water pump and two water/water pumps – connected to a borehole thermal energy storage (BTES) system that can be used to store heat underground during the summer for reuse in winter, which is highly energy efficient. All the settings are continuously monitored and adjusted via a centralised technical management system (BMS – Building Management System).
Added cultural and community value
BRUSK is proof of the ambition held by the city of Bruges to create a benchmark ancient, modern and contemporary arts museum while remaining committed to the long-term protection of cultural assets.
"Our technical expertise is helping us not only to protect valuable artworks, but also to sustainably operate a building that is set to become a cultural landmark for the region", states Stijn Nuitten, Project Manager at SPIE Belgium. "We are particularly proud to have collaborated on a project that reflects such cultural and societal values."
BRUSK is more than just a new cultural hub created within Bruges. It also marks the city's commitment to the long-term preservation of its valuable artistic heritage. This project is being undertaken under conditions that meet the highest international standards thanks to partners such as SPIE.
According to Anne van Oosterwijk, Musea Brugge Collection Director, "BRUSK will go beyond simply hosting innovative exhibitions: it will also deliver an optimal environment for preserving our most sensitive collections. The controlled climate will ensure that we can maintain fragile paintings and works on paper to the highest international standards and preserve them for future generations."