Blekinge´s past safely protected for the future
In 2015 Archive Centre Blekinge inaugurated their new facilities, which contain more than ten kilometers of shelfs held in a two story building in the outskirts of Brakne-Hoby, located in southern Sweden. Blekinge Archive provides archiving and document management services to approximately 2,500 various associations and companies in the county. The archived material is available to researchers - whether there research is academic, or if they have a private interest in genealogy or local history. Ronneby Municipality Archive holds the municipal central archives and SVAR, which is a municipal archive with a focus on genealogy. After 30 years in their old building, Blekinge Archive was running out of space and the need for a new building created a chance for the three archives to join forces. Today the facility forms a research center for cultural heritage, family history and local history. A public research room and modern meeting facilities are available free of charge to all interested individuals and groups. The oldest document in the archive dates back to 1643. The documents and a large number of private and public collections of everyday articles from the county form an irreplaceable testimony of the past. An important part of local history that has to be stored safely for the future.
Quick facts
- Stable climate conditions all year round
- Prevents humidity-related damage in stored items and documents
- One common system for both temperature and humidity control
- Energy efficient solutions in line with the facility’s green profile
Big demands on climate control
The new archive building strives to fulfill the Swedish “Healthy-house concept”, with a solar cell system placed on the roof that produces all required electricity- just one of many environmentally-friendly initiatives. In case of excess production, the primary school in the neighboring building purchases the extra electricity. The archive follows Swedish National Archive guidelines in regard to indoor climate conditions, specified to a temperature of 18°C (± 2°C) and a relative humidity of 30-40% RH (± 5% RH) all year round. With these climate conditions the stored items will be properly protected from moisture-related damage and can be preserved for future research. ML Plus - combined solution for temperature and humidity control Munters and the construction company Skanska decided upon a Munters ML23 Plus climate system, specially configured to the new archive’s needs. The system uses a Munters ML desiccant dehumidifier with a nominal airflow of 2300 m³/h. By adding standardized modules for humidification, cooling and heating, the ML Plus system provides a perfectly stable indoor climate, 18°C/35% RH all year round - completely independent of outside temperatures and moisture levels. The system was delivered in modules that were assembled on site. The compact design provides an attractive appearance and the system leaves a very small footprint compared to a traditional solution with separate devices from different vendors.
Stability and reliability highly appreciated
In the old archive location there was no climate control, and the stored objects were subject to large and problematic fluctuations in relative humidity, typically between 30-70% RH. In past summers, small dehumidifiers were temporarily installed in an attempt to reduce the high humidity, which can be totally devastating for the old documents as time goes by. Head of Blekinge Archives, Per Lundin, expressed great satisfaction with Munters’ climate control solution and in particular he highly appreciates the stability and reliability. The plant is monitored seamlessly via the archives common BMS system and with a Service Agreement from Munters that will ensure regular and optimal maintenance, the archive staff do not have to worry about any physical inspection, filter change etc.
Quick facts
- Stable climate conditions all year round
- Prevents humidity-related damage in stored items and documents
- One common system for both temperature and humidity control
- Energy efficient solutions in line with the facility’s green profile
