Microclimate measurements in the Cour Marly, Louvre Museum

Field surveys have been carried out in the Cour Marly in order to know more about the local microclimate and the movement of the air masses, in relation with the potential impact on conservation. The surveys have been made in the heart of the summer and the winter, when the cooling and the heating systems are operating at the maximum power. During the summer, the Cour is cooled with slits that distribute forced air from the conditioning system. However, warm air penetrates through the corridor in the underground level, forming an uprising flow on the eastern part. During the day-time, the glass ceiling acts as a green-house and entraps the warm air that forms a hot layer topped below the roof. During the nighttime, the glass roof cools more and more, and the air coming into contact with it cools too, becomes denser and sinks. In the winter, a natural layering is formed, with warm air in the top floor and cool in the underground one. However, in the afternoon, warm air from the corridor enter the underground level and uprises forming a convective cell. In the summer, cold air conditioned, and in the winter hot air is exchanged between the Cour and the medieval sculpture exhibition rooms through open windows and doors. Paradoxically, the solar radiation is a source of variability less important compared with the other ones, included the system which controls the indoor temperature and humidity.