"A risk assessment of the Piql Services" by FFI

9.1.3

Loss of Ideal Storage Conditions

Though the use of photosensitive film as a storage technology is a proven solution which is both robust and durable, the risk of loss of ideal storage conditions must be taken into account in this risk assessment. Loss of ideal storage conditions can be caused either by loss of utilities causing the ventilation system to stop functioning, or by damages to the infrastructure of the building which houses the Piql Preservation Services causing outside air to flow into the storage facility. Unfortunately, at lot of the measures a Piql partner could conceivably put in place to ensure that the ideal storage conditions are upheld are out of their hands. All piqlVaults are placed in standard office or industrial buildings, which means that the Piql partner will have had no say in the construction of the building. They must simply trust that regulations, codes, standards and best practices have been followed during construction so that the building is best able to resist natural hazards occurring in its geographical zone. Energy supply in particular is vital to ensure the successful implementation of the Piql Preservation Services, and as such is one of the most pressing structural dependencies of the storage facility. Piql AS stipulates that all piqlVaults must have a power generator in case of a power outage, but other than this small measure the Piql partners are vulnerable to the decisions of others and how they in turn decide to implement those decisions. In order for the 500 year longevity to be guaranteed, the storage conditions must be kept within the ISO standard regulations of no higher temperature than 21° Celsius and no higher humidity level than 50 %. If these conditions are not met, at best the result will be reduced longevity of the piqlFilms, at worst the result could be (severe) damage to the piqlFilms and the loss of the information stored on them. FFI has done calculations regarding the temperature change in the storage room should the environmental control systems fail. Due to insufficient information on the exact amount of electrical power needed in the storage room (including energy sources like lighting and data equipment) and differences in external heating in the different geographical zones, it is impossible to say anything definitive about the temperature increase in the storage room when no regulating measures are functioning. However, based on the information we have received, we assume that the temperature in the storage room will increase between 0.02 and 0.1° Celsius an hour without proper environmental controls to ensure the 21° Celsius and 50 % relative humidity as stipulated by the ISO standard. For full calculations, see appendix C.1. The effects of increases and decreases in temperature on the piqlFilms were described in several scenarios, including earthquake, as this incident took place during a heat wave, terrorism and armed conflict. In the former the piqlBox and –Film are exposed to excessive heat and humidity, whereas in the two latter they are exposed to colder temperatures than are ideal. Also in the scenarios illustrating the effects of fire, the piqlFilms are exposed to a general increase in heat from the proximity to the fire.

The ideal storage conditions of the piqlBox are low temperatures, low levels of humidity, no ozone and limited direct light. 20 The same conditions apply for the piqlFilm. This means that,

20 The properties and qualities of the piqlBox and piqlFilm were discussed in a telephone meeting with Espen Ommundsen, Principal Researcher at Norner AS, and Yvonne Hed, Researcher at Norner AS, on 17.09.15.

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FFI-RAPPORT 16/00707