Key Challenges and Mitigation Techniques in the Management of Heritage Building Conservation Projects: A Systematic Review

Abstract

Managing heritage building conservation projects is one of the complex challenges in the engineering field, due to the high historical and architectural value of these buildings. This study aims to identify the most prominent challenges affecting the management of heritage building conservation projects, with a particular focus on analysing the techniques and practices used to overcome these problems. A comprehensive systematic review was conducted to achieve these goals by studying the relevant published research. The methodology is based on using the PRISMA scheme to review these papers, where they are evaluated in each step of the scheme: identification, screening, eligibility, and inclusion. The selected keywords for this systematic review, such as conservation, restoration, rehabilitation, and management, reflect the intersection between project management and heritage building conservation, highlighting the current research trend in this field. The review process began by identifying 570 research papers in the last 5 years, which took into account the rapid development of modern technology such as artificial intelligence, 3d scanning tools, and HBIM and their integration with conservation management process. The research process ended by identifying 59 papers directly related to the topic. The influencing challenges were classified into five main categories: structural (31%), architectural (28%), management (26%), environmental (9%) and legal (6%). Moreover, advanced tools and techniques used in this field were also identified, such as Historic Building Information Modelling (HBIM) (44%), decision making tools such as the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) (11%), and many other techniques.  Together, the results provide a comprehensive vision for stakeholders and project managers in the field of heritage building conservation management, with an emphasis on adopting a multidisciplinary approach that combines advance technology and balanced and long-term practices. Additionally, it emphasizes the significance of maintaining a balance between modern interventions and preserving the historical value of the building, which represents a major challenge in the field of conservation.   Although the study focused primarily on the active intervention phases, it offers an approach, based on the classification of key challenges and identification of mitigation tools, that can be extended to the post- intervention stage, particularly during periodic maintenance phase. This highlights the promising direction for future research aimed to ensuring the long-term effectiveness of conservation efforts.