The "Green Building" movement embraces a holistic, sustainable philosophy of building, very similar to preservation ethics. Preservation projects can use sustainable approaches that increase efficiency of archaic systems. Conversely, the goals of the sustainable builder can be reached through preservation projects. The relationship between historic preservation and sustainable building practice is gaining greater attention throughout the country, evidenced by a growing number of building projects that weave together the conservation of natural and cultural resources.

Go Green!

In the past 10 years, contractors, architects, and interior designers specializing in green building have gained influence within the building community. Increasingly, this community has adopted and embraced the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Green Building Rating System as have an growing number of governmental entities; 8 federal agencies, 10 states, 4 Counties (including King), and 22 municipalities (including Seattle) now use LEED as a guide for building stewardship and design.

The State of Washington's HB 1171, a bill which would integrate LEED Green Building Standards into state-owned buildings, did not make it out of committee in the 2003-04 legislative session. Given growing interest in sustainability however, the bill, or another iteration of it, will likely pass in the near future. What was originally a voluntary building standard is quickly becoming building code. This trend towards sustainable buildings is promising, but how does the "Green Building" movement work with preservation?

In many ways, preservation of buildings may be the most responsible form of sustainable development. The LEED Green Building Standard is based on some of the same principles underlying preservation projects. Like new construction meeting green standards, historic rehabilitation projects often involve urban redevelopment, are in close proximity to mass transit, maintain operable windows and continue the use of structure. Materials like old growth timber and locally quarried stone are irreplaceable design elements maintained in preservation and sustainable building projects.

And preservation saves a staggering amount of energy. Carl Elefante of Quinn Architects calculated the energy savings associated with a Historic Green Building project -- the University of Michigan's S.T. Dana Building. "In terms of reuse alone the project represents a savings of 135 tanker trucks of gasoline . . . in terms of a material, the greenest thing you can do is continue its life. Next comes salvage and reuse, then recycling."

Construction activity generates 136 million tons of waste and uses 65% of the nation's electricity annually.

LEED vs. The Secretary of Interior

Preservation projects receiving governmental oversight or tax credits meet Secretary of Interior's Standards for the Rehabilitation of Historic Buildings. The City of Seattle's Landmarks Preservation Board uses this standard when considering changes made to designated local landmarks. Does meeting LEED Standards conflict with the Secretary of Interior's Standards?

Originally, the USGBC (United States Green Building Coalition) wrote the design standards with new commercial buildings in mind. Government agencies adopting LEED into their buildings use these standards. In Seattle, LEED Standards have become policy for any city-owned building over 5000 square feet, including renovations to existing buildings. When a government agency, non-profit, or a concerned developer looks at LEED and Secretary of the Interior guidelines, both sets of criteria provide incentives for stewardship of historic properties. Some have wondered if one set of criteria conflict with the other. Can historic integrity and energy efficiency coexist in a project that meets both sets of standards?

Recently, the Government Services Administrator (GSA), which is the property manager for a large number of historic buildings, adopted the LEED Silver rating for all of their buildings. The GSA is currently renovating the Howard M. Metzenbaum Federal Building and US Courthouse in Cleveland using LEED standards. Besides retaining the original shell of the building and reusing materials in other parts of the building, GSA hired local artisans to restore the buildings interior ornamentation.

The use of local artists, the reuse of materials, and the retaining of historic elements follows both preservation and sustainability principles. As the steward of 223 properties on the National Register of Historic Places, GSA has many sustainable preservation projects ahead of them.

Another steward of our nation's treasures, the National Parks Service (NPS) has created "Guiding Principles for Sustainable Design", a top-down directive to respect our nation's irreplaceable and unique resources.

As evidence of its dedication to sustainability, the NPS transformed San Francisco's famous Presidio into a center for green preservation. Working with private partnerships to rehabilitate buildings through historic tax credits and sustainable design, the NPS helped create the Thoreau Center for Sustainability. A group of tenants work together to "pioneer a new role for a national park by creating a global center dedicated to the world's most critical environmental, social, and cultural challenges." Encouraging preservation and sustainability through tax credits, the Presidio has become an example of reuse, which honors the delicate eco-system and history of San Francisco Bay.

The Private Sector

Nongovernmental entities are also bringing sustainability and preservation together in innovative projects. The Balfour Guthrie Building in Portland, Oregon was the first architectural office to receive the LEED Silver Award. Recycling over 150 tons of construction waste and using over 58% Forest Steward Council Sustainable Lumber, co-owners Thomas Hacker Architects and Gary Purcell, a locally based general contractor, restored a Portland landmark and provided an exceptional example of sustainable building in the heart of the city. The project followed Secretary of Interior Standards, keeping the 1913 Balfour Guthrie Building on the National Register of Historic Places.

The rehabilitation of Trinity Chapel in Boston, arguably one of the best examples of H. H. Richardson's designs, utilized sustainable design elements to protect the church's historic integrity and future use. Instead of installing a traditional HVAC system, which would been roof-mounted and threatened murals by noted painter John LaFarge as well as delicate interior elements and furnishings with vibration and water damage, they decided to use geothermal energy by drilling 1500 feet beneath the church. The costs of the two systems were similar, but the more energy-efficient geothermal solution will payoff in the long run.

In July of 2004, Historic Seattle celebrated the groundbreaking of the Cadillac Hotel, a building seriously damaged by the 2001 Nisqually Earthquake. Historic Seattle had to decide whether or not to seek LEED Green Building Standards in their design, and hired a consultant to weigh the viability of the LEED standard for the Cadillac project. After reviewing the additional cost required to meet LEED Standards and pay for accreditation, project managers opted not to apply for certification. The ethics guiding the project will be primarily the same without LEED Accreditation. The current standards placed on the project by our partners, the NPS and GSA, follow sustainable building ideology.

Despite being the trade standard, LEED Green Building Standards are not perfect for every project. Originally, USGBC wrote the design standards with new commercial buildings in mind. With a growing interest in the standards, USGBC has begun to create different standards for different building types. This has come after complaints from sustainable designers and preservation architects alike. The LEED checklist does not fit the large spectrum of building types it is being applied to.

Steve Olson, marketing administer for the USGBC, noted "it (a new standard LEED-EB (Existing Building) is primarily a performance standard rather than prescriptive and this also makes LEED-EB very flexible. The Secretary of Interiors Standards for Treatment of Historic Buildings have been reviewed and no conflicts with LEED-EB have been identified ... an appendix is being included in the LEED-EB Reference Guide that explains how the flexibility of LEED-EB makes it very applicable to historic buildings. LEED-EB is still in development and open for public comment.

But preservation and sustainability are more than standards. Both LEED and the Secretary of Interiors Standards merely reflect two very similar grassroots movements that have grown to national scale -- both of which are based in a desire to help better communities though respect and conservation of resources.

Cultural awareness and a sense of community are integral to both sustainable design ethics and preservation practice. Restoring landmarks with an environmental ethic teaches history, science, and sustainability -- lessons invaluable to maintaining a high quality of life in the present and the future.

For More Information:

www.usgbc.org/AboutUs/whygreenbuild.asp

View last month's Preservation & Environment article

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