Ghent University and Politecnico di Milano jointly organized an international workshop on hygrothermal modelling of heritage buildings.

15 master students from Ghent University followed the courses together with 10 master students and 5 PhD students from Polimi. After a deep dive into moisture transport, climate, and degradation models, the students were introduced to numerical models such as Delphin and Wufi with hands-on training. An excursion to the Duomo of Milan and 7 guest lectures by various Italian heritage specialists completed to official program. The Duomo in Milan is one of the most important historical monuments in Italy, with a building history lasting up to six centuries. Besides, the Cathedral houses many valuable works of art. Due to the size and shape of the building it is often referred to as the hedgehog, but in Italy the cathedral is invariably nicknamed the cathedral ever under renovation.

In the second semester the students will evaluate the hygrothermal behavior of the Duomo in the Advanced Topic “Conservation of the Duomo in Milan in the context of climate change”. To be continued!