For a long-term preservation of cultural heritage items, stable climate conditions are necessary. As indoor temperatures will rise in the future due to climate change, chemical reactions take place much more quickly. At the same time, however, relative humidity decreases, which can cause damage, especially in the case of objects consisting of organic composite materials. As reactions to changes in climate depend very much on surrounding circumstances, on past climate patterns, and on the preservation history of an object (conservation treatments, changes in location, etc.), it is generally difficult to forecast future damage to cultural heritage objects that might be caused by climate change. Comparable damage patterns can be found on cultural heritage items which have been subjected to unfavourable climatic conditions over a longer period. This is usually due to excessive use, e.g., numerous events or the incorrect operation of cultural heritage items. This usually leads to inappropriate climatic conditions such as too high temperatures and too high or too low relative humidity combined with high climatic (short-term) fluctuations. Depending on the strain and the exposure time of the prevailing climate, this usually results in the appearance of cracks, loosening and loss of surfaces. With the help of structured light scanning, it is possible to analyse the geometry of historic surfaces in detail and correlate the observed changes with climate measurements. This helps not only to conduct high-resolution monitoring, but also to carry out an individual risk analysis for cultural heritage objects. Two case studies with different composite materials and questions will be used to demonstrate the potential of surface monitoring with structured light scanning: monitoring the effect of climate change on the baroque leather panels in Moritzburg Castle as well as the impact of the conversion of the former Dominican church of St. Christopher in Bamberg on the medieval wall paintings