Sustainability through Preservation

Historic preservation makes significant contributions to sustainability efforts across the country. It is well documented that the “greenest” building is one that’s already built. Preserving historic buildings is inherently a sustainable practice. In recognition of the role the built environment plays in energy use, the National Park Service -Technical Preservation Services developed guidance and technical information about how historic properties can incorporate sustainable practices to reduce energy consumption, while maintaining characteristics that make historic properties significant. The topics they cover are:

Sustainability Topics

• Weatherizing Historic Buildings
• Solar Panels on Historic Buildings
• Green Roofs on Historic Buildings 

Other helpful National Park Service resources on Sustainability include:

• Guidelines on Sustainability for Rehabilitating Historic Buildings
• Sustainability, Energy Efficiency, Resilience & Historic Buildings
• National Trust Green Stories
• Report PDF: “The Greenest Building: Quantifying the Environmental Benefits of Building Reuse”