Life cycle assessment and social impacts of the restoration of Uncastillo fortress

The aim of the study is to assess the environmental impact due to the restoration activity carried out on a historical monument, a medieval fortress located in a village in the province of Zaragoza (Spain). The fortress represents the symbol of the village itself, and an important part of the cultural heritage of the population. The restoration project has led to the creation of a museum of medieval history within two historical buildings: a Romanesque tower and a Gothic palace. The buildings have been restored to be accessible to visitors, and an LCA analysis was conducted on these interventions, taking into account the construction phase, the use of the buildings and the end of life of some elements after a reference time. The results showed how the use of some materials generates a significant impact throughout the life cycle of the intervention, and also how these impact decreases taking into account durability. The fortress is a strong mark on the urban landscape, and a symbol of identification for the population. The restoration project aimed to recover the historical value of the fortress for the local community, to apply a sustainable economic management and promote a valorization of the area. That’s why the study has explored also the concept of social sustainability: while the intervention generates environmental impacts (as any building intervention), on the other side the recovery of cultural heritage generates social and economical advantages to be taken into account. The analysis aims to be a case study to investigate possible application of S-LCA guidelines to assess intervention of cultural heritage restoration. Based on the guidelines, a framework has been designed to fit the case study, which allowed to highlight the social and economical benefits that the intervention generates, especially on the local community.