24-25 March 2009 Faculty of Engineering Raymond Lemaire International Center for Conservation Katholieke Universiteit Leuven Inauguration Unesco Chair On Preventive Conservation, Maintenance and Monitoring of Monuments and Sites

Anouk Stulens Director Monumentenwacht Vlaanderen vzw Conservation assessment of heritage places The approach of Monumentenwacht in the Flemish Region

Context 1964 Charter of Venice 1973 Foundation of Stichting Monumentenwacht Nederland 1985 Convention of Granada (ratification in Belgium in 1992) 1991 Foundation of Monumentenwacht Vlaanderen vzw 1993 Flemish Region: Maintenance grant for listed monuments 1996 Provinces: Maintenance grant non listed buildings

Context 1999 Burra Charter Maintenance is fundamental to conservation 2008Conservation Principles English Heritage The conservation of significant places is founded on appropriate routine management and maintenance.

Field of action Group of 6 non for profit associations for owners, caretakers & custodians - 5 provincial associations (front office) - 1 supportive umbrella association (back office) Financed by 5 provinces: euro/year Flemish Region: euro/year members: subscription and inspection fees (10%)

Mission MissionRaise awareness, inform and support owners, caretakers and custodians ‘empowerment’ InstrumentsRegular and systematic condition assessment monitoring

3100 voluntary members 5300 member buildings Public reponse - membership

Annual subscription-fee per building: 40 € (VAT incl.) Inspection-fee per hour per person : 26,18 € (VAT incl.) Inspection-cost is 14% of real-cost Membership

Structure 5 Provincial associations – front office -Primary care -Regular and systematic condition assessments of heritage places (historic buildings, interiors, maritime heritage, …) -Direct approach on site advice, exemplary interventions, guidance

Architectural survey

Interior Survey

Structure – back office Monumentenwacht Vlaanderen 1 supporting association to the 5 provincial associations – back office Tasks of general interest & subsidiary to the provincial goals -Quality control & calibration, standards & manuals -ICT -Health & Safety -Recruiting and training of staff -Dissemination & promotion -Professionalization & extension of services -International contacts

Dissemination and sensitization 1. Publications - brochures - newsletter - Maintenance Manual for valuable Church interiors 2. Website 3. Lectures, workshops, …

1.Owners tend to follow-up recommendations Example : Evolution of the state of the gutters in% new member buildings every year – continuous growth 3.46% of maintenance grants of Flemish Region are based on status report Impact year# inspectionsgoodreasonablemoderatebadnot inspected ,625,821,912,92, ,323,420,012,53, ,622,421,811,72, ,324,321,211,01, ,421,120,510,83, ,822,418,810,52, ,524,217,79,42, ,920,419,010,13,6

4.restoration budget / maintenance budget of Flemish government – gradual shift Impact

1.Continuous professionalization Centralized database system Methodology of condition assessment integrated in the database system Veerle Meul – Maksin Risk and value-based prioritizing of conservation strategies in historic interiors Increase number of inspections a year increase the regularity of inspections = monitoring Challenges for the future

2.Extension of services: - cost calculation & long term maintenance planning: maritime heritage: started in archeological sites: feasibility study in 2008 – 1 team in International network of similar organisations Leipzig Unesco Chair Challenges for the future