Research

To enable GreenHer CoE to focus on environmental, economic, and socio-cultural sustainability of heritage, we organise our activities within four Research Cores. These support seven pilot projects funded by the Horizon Europe GreenHer grant, as well as a number of nationally and internationally funded research projects.

PhD projects are integrated within the GreenHer research and training programmes.

Research Core I

Green Conservation–Restoration and Built Heritage

This Research Core focuses on the sustainable conservation and restoration of cultural heritage, with particular emphasis on green approaches and the built environment.

This Research Core focuses on the sustainable conservation and restoration of cultural heritage, with particular emphasis on green approaches and the built environment. Its main areas of activity include:

Research on heritage collections, integrating green chemistry and materials science to develop novel conservation materials, processes, and tools, as well as advanced monitoring and modelling.

Research on the built heritage environment, including building assessment, conservation, surveying and monitoring, and the impacts of climate change on heritage collections and buildings.

Geometric documentation of the TR3 tower (a monument of national significance) using a laser scanner. Source: arhiv ZAG.

Geometric documentation of the TR3 tower (a monument of national significance) using a laser scanner.

Research Core II

Sustainable Landscapes and Heritage Management

This Research Core focuses on heritage landscapes, sites, and innovative heritage management practices. It includes archaeological research, studies of wood as a heritage material, aerial and terrestrial surveying and monitoring, and the assessment of climate change impacts on landscapes and heritage sites. In addition, it addresses the implementation of Living Labs, with emphasis on intangible cultural heritage, sustainable heritage management, and the development of heritage tourism products.

Use of geoarchaeological methods during excavations of a settlement dating to the 1st millennium BC on Pungrt Hill above Ig in Ljubljana Marshes, a GreenHer Living Lab.
Photo: Matija Črešnar.

Research Core III

Values and Participatory Engagement

This research area focuses on heritage values and policy development. It involves citizen science research, value assessment, participatory research and related data analysis, audience engagement, and the development of best practices in sustainable cultural tourism. It also addresses heritage policy through knowledge co-creation with stakeholders, ranging from decision makers to industry.

During a hands-on workshop within a student project, visitors restored mosaic replicas.
Photo: Neža Čebron Lipovec.

Research Core IV

Digital Heritage

This research area focuses on digital heritage and advanced data technologies for cultural heritage. It includes research on data capture and analysis, artificial intelligence, visualization, digital communication, and data reuse. It also encompasses the development of the Slovenian Collaborative Cloud for Cultural Heritage, including tools for digitization, storage, APIs, cultural heritage data spaces, and pilot implementations.

Digitisation of Zdravljica by France Prešeren, 
one of the most important works of Slovenian written cultural heritage.
Source: NUK Archives.