Research
Introduction
The economic evaluation of the built heritage is a lively, international field of research. Both the design and management of single conservation and reconstruction projects, economic and social impact studies between projects, and identifying the role and importance of the built heritage sector at large calls for methodically relevant research on economics. Economic assessments provide good quality support for the management and caretaking of the national wealth and collective memory, accumulated in the built heritage.
Several rigorous evaluation methods are available, but there remains a theoretically inspiring, unexplored terrain to be studied. The existing methods can be divided between those based on real market prices (eg. economic impact studies, regression analysis) and the estimated willingness to pay (eg. contingent valuation and choice modeling). Both types have strengths and weaknesses, and only systematic, interdisciplinary case studies can lead to a better understanding of the economic value of the built heritage.
Nordic countries can provide internationally significant new research in this comparative work. The Economics and Built Heritage project provides a publication channel for papers and case studies. We also invite interested researchers to send visual documentation of relevant sites or projects. Please contact the coordinator for a guide on how to submit. With the help of our international scientific committee, the aim is, in the long run, to establish a refereed web journal.