On the basis of a research agreement, microclimatic data were collected in a National Library for studying the environmental quality of the building. For the library the study constituted particular interest in verifying the compliance of the air conditioning system installed in its new location to conservation needs of the library materials and to comfort needs of users and staff also. This contribution deals with the scientific aspect of thermal comfort surveyed by means of environmental monitoring and application to the case study of predictive models of thermohygrometric comfort for moderate thermal environments. Data obtained by the monitoring carried out in some sample rooms, show that: i) in winter the indoor environmental conditions often deviate from the standards on the ergonomics of thermal environment; ii) in summer there is a potential for improving the comfort using the passive behavior of the structure and the cooling capacity of natural ventilation together with the conscious use by the occupants of adaptive strategies.

On the basis of a research agreement, microclimatic data were collected in a National Library for studying the environmental quality of Cultural Heritage. For the library the study constituted particular interest in verifying the compliance of the air conditioning system installed in its new location to conservation needs of the library and to comfort needs of users and staff also. Within the limits of the monitoring performed in winter season, it can be concluded that the indoor environmental conditions of the library often deviate from the conservation standards applicable to the case study. Furthermore the plants management requires a rationalization, even for energy savings. The condition in which the library has found itself at the beginning of the summer season, free of microclimatic control , was considered an opportunity to analyze the spontaneous behavior of the building in terms of thermohygrometric performance for storage of library materials.