Cultural heritage — from historic buildings to museum collections — demands not only careful stewardship of the past but also, increasingly, a responsible eye toward the future. Initiatives like the Horizon Europe Green Cluster for Science and Conservation Research are at the forefront of this shift, bringing together research in green chemistry, conservation science, plasma science, sustainability science, and even space science to develop new materials, analytical methods, and technologies for sustainable conservation. Operating as an expert network, the Green Cluster advises, develops new knowledge, advocates for the green transformation, and supports the next generation of researchers, scientists, and conservation practitioners — accelerating the path from research to real-world impact.

A continuous thread running through all of the Green Cluster's work is Life Cycle Thinking, which is being actively pioneered as a new framework for conservation decision-making in the cultural heritage field. By leveraging Life Cycle Assessment to identify environmental hotspots, optimize practices and product design, and explore how the methodology can be better tailored to heritage-specific needs, the Green Cluster is helping to build the evidence base our field needs to make more informed, sustainable choices — without compromising the integrity of the objects and structures we care for. 

In this webinar, we'll explore how LCA is being applied across the heritage sector: from understanding what is meant by green conservation to evaluating and comparing cleaning strategies, informing the development of new materials and technologies, and even going beyond the environmental pillar of sustainability by considering social and economic aspects. Whether you're new to LCA or looking to deepen your practice, this session aims to bridge the methodological rigor of environmental science with the nuanced realities of conservation work.