Preservation Matters Newsletter
Volume 37, Number 2 Fall 2009
Preservation Worcester Embarks on Green Historic Preservation Initiative
Did you know that the greenest building is the one that already exists?
By Deborah Packard
Award winning Quinsigamond School
Over the next year, Preservation Worcester will embark on a Green Historic Preservation initiative. In the upcoming months, through the generosity of the Central Massachusetts AIA (American Institute of Architects), we plan a series of presentations on green historic preservation to our membership and to the public. In addition, we will post information on our website and have reference information in our library. Our goal is to make Preservation Worcester a valuable source of practical information supporting sustainability and green historic preservation.
No matter how much green technology goes into the design and construction of new buildings, new construction has an enormous negative impact on our environment. For preservationists, that reality powerfully underscores our conviction that historic preservation makes sense ….in every sense. Beyond the arguments that historic preservation promotes economic vitality and preserves history and culture for future generations, people who care about our architectural heritage must also make the case that historic preservation is green.
Sustainability is a word often used in relation to green technology. A well-accepted definition of sustainability is “meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.” To achieve that important goal, preservationists must tirelessly, persistently argue that the best way to attain sustainability is to preserve the structures we already have, instead of building new ones.
A building is a huge repository of “embodied energy” …the total amount of energy used to extract or manufacture building materials, transport them to the construction site, and to complete the construction. The National Trust for Historic Preservation recently referred to a United Kingdom study that determined that it takes 35 to 50 years for recover the carbon expended constructing a building. In addition, demolition uses significant energy and when the building is finally demolished, all that energy tragically ends up in a landfill!
But don’t older, historic buildings consume inordinate amounts of energy? In fact, data from the US Energy Information Agency show that buildings constructed prior to 1920 are actually more energy efficient than those built between 1920 and 2000. Many older buildings have thick walls that reduce the amount of energy needed for heating and cooling. Designers of older structures thought about siting to maximize solar warming in the winter and minimize it in the summer. Buildings featured transoms, high ceilings and operable windows for light and ventilation, while porches and other features reduced solar impact.
In contrast, late 20th century design gave little consideration to environmental impact. Energy was cheap, buildings were made air-tight, and designers didn’t think much about siting and climate. In recent years, the emerging green design movement has re-focused on the same factors our predecessors considered critical – sustainable sites, water efficiency, local energy and climate conditions, material and resources, and indoor environmental quality.
As we look forward to our 41st year, we invite our members and friends to join us in our Green Historic Preservation initiative. Our goal is to give citizens, professionals, and government regulators and legislators the information they need to make the case for green historic preservation. It promises to be a challenging and exciting opportunity to combine our enduring commitment to preservation with a new commitment to a greener, more rational environment.
Tips for Winterizing Your Home
Follow these simple steps to make your new or old home energy efficient:
- Close fireplace dampers when not in use.
- Caulk holes.
- Decorate for efficiency with lined draperies, working shutters or insulated shades.
- Insulate your attic.
- Install programmable thermostats.
- Consider zoned heating.
- Add storm windows.
- Check each window in your home.
- Weather-strip your doors.
- Change furnace filters.
- Have your furnace serviced.
- Set ceiling fans on the lowest speed pushing warm air down.
- Bleed radiators and clean forced air registers.
- Insulate ductwork and hot water pipes.
- Make sure bathroom fans have functioning dampers.
Start with an energy audit in the late fall or winter. The audit in an older home should include a Blower Door Test. A fan will be mounted on an exterior door frame pulling air out of the house to determine how airtight the home actually is.
Cleaning House?
We are already looking ahead to next year's "Better than Average Yard Sale" (Architectural Salvage and Antiques Sale). If you have any items such as fine furniture, china and glassware, carpets, vases, artwork or other collectible that you are willing to donate to our sale, please let us know. We will happily pick up your donations if you desire. Please email us at info@preservationworcester.org
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Preservation Worcester Wish List Do you have any of the things we need? Paper Bags (grocery size or larger) Brochure Holders Lucite Flyer Stands Office Chairs Step Ladder
Please email us at info@preservationworcester.org or call 508-754-8760 if you would like to donate any of these items. |
