Evaluating environmental impacts of relocating historic structures : the case of preserving memory in Bisri Valley

Abstract

Design excellence seeks architectural solutions that respect historic buildings and sites. Marj Besri dam project is one of the many proposed projects addressing the ongoing water availability problem, in Lebanon. On the one hand, finite resources and high cost restrict the potential of the no-dam alternative for water management such as rainwater harvesting, waste water reuse and groundwater storage (Council for Development and Reconstruction, 2014). On the other hand, several studies focus on the impact of the dam project on the excessive greenhouse gas emissions in the early stages of the dam’s construction. Add to that, those studies have also emphasized the alteration of natural habitat, loss of biodiversity, and the relocation of historic buildings such as, in the case of Bisri valley, Mar Moussa Church and Saint Sophia Monastery beyond the sustainable framework. This framework discusses the cultural value, environmental protection, economic growth and social aspects. These dimensions are the pillars of sustainable development that are reframed by political challenges and should not be underestimated (Burford and et al, 2013). Part of a proper planning of the dam construction is to preserve the memory and the historical remains of the valley. This thesis discusses the effects of the demolition of Mar Moussa Church and Saint Sophia Monastery. This includes the reassembly of the church’s main walls and the replacement of its interior vaulting, in addition to the reassembly of the monastery. It also explores the embodied energy, the embodied CO2 emitted from both mentioned historic structures, and their significance as a cultural value. The cultural aspect of sustainability addressed in this thesis defines the tangible and the intangible values of the built heritage. Tangible cultural heritage preservation is concerned with physical culture such as monuments and historic buildings, while the intangible cultural XVIII heritage is the memory preservation of the heritage (Allison and Allison, 2008). The thesis question is twofold: the cultural tangible values and the cultural intangible values. The first goal of the research is to explore the tangible values of the church and the monastery. This is related to the conditions required to consider the relocation of the mentioned structures as a sustainable historic preservation strategy. The second goal reflects the intangible values to emphasize on the cultural role of the church and the monastery as a memory. The findings of the research show that demolished and relocated buildings, using the same materials, have additional energy consumed for the relocated building and with more CO2 emitted to the environment.