Written by Rachel Bowdon

The main street in Georgetown, Texas. See "Study: Dense Downtowns = Higher Tax Yield." (Photo: National Trust for Historic Preservation)

Check out some of the green preservation articles we’ve come across over the past couple of weeks. The articles are divided into five categories: Reuse & Retrofits, Windows, Density & Sustainable Communities, Demolition, and Policy. Read them all or jump to a category that interests you. Enjoy!

REUSE & RETROFITS

LEED 2012 Second Public Comment Period Opens

“The second draft of LEED 2012 is out, and the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) is accepting public comments from August 1 through September 14. The draft includes changes to all the major LEED rating systems, including LEED for Existing Buildings. The new draft is rife with changes, but among those surest to draw attention is an overhaul of the Materials and Resources section that puts new emphasis on life-cycle assessment. Further, historic buildings get a boost in the Building Reuse credit, with maximum points being awarded to historic projects and renovation of abandoned blighted buildings.”

Be sure to check out PreservationNation.org next week – Barbara Campagna of Barbara Campagna / Architecture + Planning and former Chief Architect of the National Trust will offer some insights into the new LEED guidelines, and provide suggestions for commenting on draft guidelines.

WINDOWS

Replace That Window?

Tristan Roberts of Green Building Advisor discusses how “it usually makes more sense to repair rather than replace existing windows” - unless your windows are in really bad shape. Quoting Jean Carroon, an architect with Good Clancy in Boston, Roberts writes, “Installing non-repairable windows leads to a ‘cycle of replacement’ and is a ‘symbol of a non-sustainable world.’ While restoring windows can be labor-intensive (and thus expensive), ‘you are almost always pouring the dollars into the local economy,’ not sending it to far-away manufacturers.” He concludes his post with ten tips for deciding how to handle old windows.

Old Windows Find a Following

A New York Times article that highlights how many homeowners are choosing to refurbish historic windows rather than replace them. The article points out how the National Trust has made protecting old windows a priority and features a link to NTHP’s Windows Tips and Strategies page on preservationnation.org. The piece also makes mention of the first National Window Preservation Summit where 42 people gathered in Bledsoe, Kentucky to draft standards for old-window restoration in July. For a firsthand account of the Summit, read the blog that Karen Nickless, Southern Field Office Representative for the National Trust, wrote last week.

DENSITY & SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES

A Preservationist’s Dilemma

Charlie Gardner of Old Urbanist responds to Emily Washington’s story New Standards for Ridiculousness in Historic Preservation regarding the conflict between smart growth and preservation. Referring to the preservation of low density suburbs, he ultimately concludes that “if the architectural aspects of historical zoning are retained, while the restrictions as to architecturally-compatible infill and expansion are loosened, there may be a chance to satisfy both interests.”

Study: Dense Downtowns = Higher Tax Yield

“A new economic study commissioned by a regional land planning institute says local governments have the potential to get more bang for their tax-return buck down on Main Street than at the big-box retail centers. ’What this study also shows is that what’s good for the cities and towns in terms of infill development and creating more walkable, mixed-use development is also great for the county, by way of higher property tax yields,’ states Clark Anderson, director of the Sonoran Institute’s Western Colorado Legacy Program.”

DEMOLITION

Bulldoze: The New Way to Foreclose

Many banks are choosing to demolish foreclosed homes to rid themselves of their least-valuable repossessed homes. Last month, Bank of America announced plans to demolish 100 foreclosed homes in the Cleveland area alone. Opponents of this trend fear that banks are ignoring the impact of their actions on older and historic neighborhoods and that they are contributing to shortage of affordable housing.

POLICY

House of Representatives Threatens to Defund Office of Smart Growth

“The US House of Representatives has been debating an appropriations bill that includes harsh cuts to many environmental programs, including elimination of the EPA’s Office of Smart Growth. EPA’s smart growth programs assist communities on a diversity of projects, like creating a range of housing and transportation choices for residents and workers, growing local economies, protecting the environment and public health, and improving local infrastructure.”

Sustainable Communities Tax Credit Program Applications for Commercial Rehabilitation Projects Now being Accepted in Maryland

“The Maryland Historical Trust (MHT), the State's lead agency for historic preservation, is accepting applications until August 31, 2011 from commercial projects for the Sustainable Communities Tax Credit Program for Fiscal Year 2012. The Sustainable Communities Tax Credit program provides State income tax credits for the rehabilitation of existing buildings, both historic and non-historic, within designated areas throughout Maryland. Qualifying, income-producing properties can apply.”

Rachel Bowdon is the program assistant for the Sustainability Program at the National Trust for Historic Preservation.

The National Trust for Historic Preservation, a privately funded non-profit organization, works to save America's historic places.

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