Sustainability

The University of Vermont  Historic Preservation Program will host a one-day symposium, Modernist Architecture Comes of Age: Preservation Meets Sustainability, on Friday, June 25, 2010 in Burlington, Vermont.  Speakers will explore the preservation of historic modernist buildings and how to rehabilitate them to be sustainable and functional in the 21st century. Keynote Speaker: Christine Madrid French Director, Modernism + ...

For the past several years, NCPTT’s Architecture and Engineering program has been working to understand the potential impact of climate change on cultural resources and conversely, the impact of cultural resources on climate change. Working with a variety of partners, the National Center has promoted historic preservation as an important component of sustainable development. Conservation ...

NCPTT has been working for a number of years investigating the relationship between historic preservation and sustainability. NCPTT is committed to collaborating with a wide variety of partners representing federal, state and local governments, nonprofit, research and educational organizations, and others to define and develop the role of historic preservation in safeguarding historic resources in ...

Can a historic building improve its resource efficiency while protecting its historic features? The Lee H. Nelson Hall, built in 1923 and listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1984 has undertaken a sustainability management plan with that as its primary objective. NCPTT was founded in 1994 “to coordinate research, disseminate information, and ...

Technical Preservation Services is pleased to announce that The Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation & Illustrated Guidelines on Sustainability for Rehabilitating Historic Buildings are now available as an interactive web feature.

Retrofitting windows with high performance enhancements can result in substantial energy savings across a variety of climate zones. Selecting options that retain and retrofit existing windows are the most cost effective way to achieve these energy savings and to lower a home’s carbon footprint. Retrofits extend the life of existing windows, avoid production of new ...

This project addresses a national need in preservation technology to educate the public on best practices for energy improvement retrofits to older homes. The research measured the actual energy use impact ofone significant retrofit-installation ofthe radiant barrier-in six case study homes, one story high, historic, and small. The average home size is 1,381 square feet; ...

The newly created Natchitoches Parish African American Cultural Heritage Initiative (NPAACHI) is working to develop sustainable communities in Natchitoches Parish, La., that serve as heritage destinations and improve the quality of life for residents. The National Center for Preservation Technology & Training, which is headquartered in Natchitoches, is sponsoring the initial research and documentation for ...

NCPTT’s Andrew Ferrell and Kirk Cordell served as guest instructors for the University of Florida’s Preservation Institute: Nantucket. They lectured on the role NCPTT plays in facilitating research and training in innovative technologies for historic preservation. Particular topics included NCPTT’s grants program, sustainable preservation, preservation trades training, and disaster response and planning for cultural resources.

NOTE: This software is 13 years old and while it runs on Windows XP, it does not run on Windows 7 or Windows 10 even in XP compatibility mode. It’s maintained here for archival purposes. The Preservation Economic Impact Model 2.0 software allows for the calculation of the total economic effects of historic preservation; these encompass ...

This past November the Friends of NCPTT and the National Trust for Historic Preservation convened a small group of experts to discuss historic preservation and environmental sustainability. After two days of intense discussions, the group developed the core of the Pocantico Proclamation on Sustainability and Historic Preservation. While a good starting point to further discussion on ...

The U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center’s Construction Engineering Research Laboratory recently released new and innovative research investigating the long-term degradation of insulating materials based on short-term laboratory testing. “Advanced insulation materials provide resistance to heat flow. Properly insulating shelters can reduce heating and cooling costs, as well as improve comfort. However, the long-term performance of ...

Technical Preservation Services of the National Park Service has released a set of illustrated guidelines to help improve the energy efficiency of historic buildings while preserving their historic character. The Illustrated Guidelines on Sustainability for Rehabilitating Historic Buildings offer practical advice to building owners, developers, and preservation practitioners, showing recommended – and not recommended – approaches ...

TPS published new online guidance for Solar Panels on Historic Properties to showcase successful projects that have added solar energy systems to historic buildings, districts, and landscapes. The guidance will be updated with additional examples over time.

This past week, I was thrilled to attend my first-ever Association for Preservation Technology (APT) conference. The conference was hugely successful, both in numbers and in the quality of information presented. We at NCPTT were happy to take part as a sponsor of the conference and a partner in some of the learning experiences there. The ...

In 2000, the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency (IHPA) published an NCPTT funded training manual on the subject of lead paint and historic buildings.

The Federal Historic Preservation Tax Incentives Program encourages private sector investment in the rehabilitation and reuse of historic buildings, and is one of the nation’s most successful and cost-effective community revitalization programs, the largest such program specifically supporting historic preservation.  Administered by the National Park Service’s Technical Preservation Services (TPS) office and the Internal Revenue ...

The National Park Service and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers have teamed up to test the resiliency of historic materials to flood waters. Engineers at the US Army Engineer Research and Development Center Construction Engineering Research Laboratory (ERDC-CERL) in Champaign, Illinois are implementing tests to determine the resilience and durability of traditional construction assemblies ...

In this edition of the Preservation Technology Podcast we join NCPTT’s Jessica Cleaver as she speaks with Tracy Nelson, director of the Historic Building Recovery Grant Program, about sustainability and historic preservation. Download as an mp3 or subscribe via iTunes.

Cornell University’s Historic Preservation Planning Program will offer two courses, Preservation and Sustainability and Preserving Stein Communities, from 21 to 22 May at the Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum, New York City: Preservation and Sustainability addresses energy- and resource-conscious design at both building and neighborhood scales through the strategies, tools and ethos of historic preservation. Topics ...

This year’s Traditional Building Exhibition and Conference grapples with a very timely question: “how do we make traditional buildings energy efficient while also preserving their historic character?” This subject and much more will be presented in 50 seminars, workshops, architectural tours, keynotes and craftsmanship demonstrations held over four days in one of America’s greenest cities, ...

In preparation for its approaching 100th anniversary in 2016, the National Park Service (NPS) has published A Call to Action: Preparing for a Second Century of Stewardship and Engagement to help chart a path for our second hundred years. As we look to establish priorities and focus our efforts on areas likely to have the most ...

The White House Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) announced today that its second annual GreenGov Symposium, which aims to bring together leaders from government, the private sector, non-profits and academia to identify opportunities to create jobs, grow clean energy industries, and curb pollution by greening the Federal Government, will be held in Washington, DC on ...