Sustainability in Civil Engineering: Integrated Mix of Some Non-Invasive Sensing Techniques for Conservation and Restoration of Historical Buildings and Frescoes

Santa Maria of the Palomba Sanctuary was built in XVth century on a pre-existing medieval crypt, situated in a splendid landscape, on the south facing ravine on which stands the city of Matera, integrating in a wonderful way the underground and sub divo building; in the ages shortly following a notable cycle of frescoes was painted renewing the decorative state of the underground church.Over many years, the building fell into decay, the structures and frescoes were flooded and damaged; so that from 1980 important restoration works were carried out, constructing ventilation canals under the floor of the hypogeic church, incorporating heating pipes, connected to solar thermal panels in such a way to secure the optimum thermohygrometric conditions for conservation. After almost thirty years, before working on the restoration of the frescoes it was necessary to completely and objectively characterize the existing physical conditions.