When use value is perceived by contemporaries as lower than non-use value, heritage is perceived as a public or common good and its value is perceived as bequest and non-tangible. In this case, most of the society feels the need of protecting heritage for the future generations due to its historic legacy and the willingness to keep it towards future generations (Fig. 2).

The biggest challenge occurs, however, when the difference between use and non-use value of heritage is minor or difficult to identify. Considering a hypothetical piece of heritage that no-one actually likes except a narrow group of experts, the average value for the asset may be very low. The perceived benefits will be then lower than the costs of conserving it and economic logic would dictate that it is not conserved for the sake of a few people (Provins et al. 2008)