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Built to Last: Historic Preservation and Environmental Sustainability

Jennifer Kenny, Associate Planner, City of Olympia

Among preservationists, it's said that the greenest building is the one that's already built. The National Trust for Historic Preservation, the guiding force for preservationists, recently launched a sustainability initiative to highlight the crucial link between the preservation of buildings and energy conservation.

Existing buildings contain embodied energy, which refers to the total expenditure of energy used to create the building. When a building is demolished and another built in its place, we not only squander the energy used for the original building but we also require new resources.

When we lose our historic buildings, we also lose the architectural record of our history as a people along with the unique identity of a place; although, for a variety of reasons, not all buildings can be saved. You don't have to know the difference between Brutalist architecture and Beaux Arts to know that an interesting mix of building styles, such as in Olympia's downtown, makes a place memorable. According to a 2006 Washington Department of Archeology and Historic Preservation study, preservation fuels economic sustainability by annually adding millions of dollars to the state's economy.

Olympia is fortunate to have intact historic neighborhoods that are readily enjoyed by today's families. The majority of our city's older houses were well built and, with routine maintenance, they can be expected to last far into the future. Speaking of maintenance, according to nationally a noted preservationist, Donovan Rypkema, properly repaired historic windows have an R factor nearly indistinguishable from new "weatherized" windows.

Rypkema also notes that the vast majority of heat loss in homes is through the attic or un-insulated walls, not windows. Adding just 3 1/2 inches of fiberglass insulation in the attic has three times the R factor impact as replacing a single pane with no storm window with the most energy efficient window. What's more, modern building supplies such as vinyl and plastic are incredibly energy intensive and toxic to produce.

The City of Olympia has made a strong commitment to both historic preservation and environmental sustainability. We have three residential historic districts, one commercial/residential district downtown, about 200 individual Heritage Register properties, and many more sites noted on the Inventory of Historic Properties. Additionally, the Olympia Heritage Commission advises the City Council on the stewardship of historic properties, provides community education, and works with other preservation groups.

For more information about the City's sustainability and preservation programs, visit our website at http://www.olympiawa.gov or call the Neighborhood and Historic Preservation program at 753-8031. For details about the National Trust for Historic Preservation, visit http://www.preservationnation.org

"We can't build our way out of the climate change crisis; we must conserve our way out."

  • Richard Moe, President, National Trust for Historic Preservation

    Constructing a 50,000 sq ft commercial building requires the same amount of energy needed to drive a car 20,000 miles for 730 years - (source: National Trust for Historic Preservation)


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    Updated 2015/01/07 21:14:22