Evaluation of Application of Digital Technologies in Heritage Buildings Maintenance for Energy Efficiency in New Zealand

The sustainable future of our cultural heritage depends critically on the protection and upkeep of heritage buildings (HB). Conventional maintenance methods frequently depend on human inspection and routine maintenance, which can be expensive, time-consuming, and inefficient in using resources. Nevertheless, digitalization presents chances to overcome these obstacles by delivering data-driven decision-making and real-time monitoring. Current research has demonstrated that although digitalizing maintenance is essential, there is comparatively little use of digital technologies. It is imperative to comprehend the constraints impeding the digitalization of HB maintenance. Therefore, this study aims to evaluate the uptake of maintenance digitalization to improve energy efficiency in New Zealand's HBs. Through a literature review, the study identified the various digital technologies in maintenance and their applicability to HBs. The review result showed that New Zealand currently lacks specific guidelines for energy-efficient retrofits of historic buildings, presenting a gap between heritage preservation and environmental sustainability practices. Therefore, education and training programs in digital technologies for heritage conservation should be developed to address these challenges and promote sustainable practices in the field.