Lowering carbon emissions and green house gases is a very serious environmental need and one which the preservation community supports. However, “green” doesn’t need to be “new”; the greenest building is the one which is already built and historic buildings, whether designated or not, can be made to be even more energy efficient without destroying their historic elements.
Here are some resources to help you guide your way through ensuring that your historic building retains its character while updating its energy ratings:
- A homeowner’s guide to understanding historic district designation and tips for caring for their historic property, including procedures for improving energy efficiency.
- Wallabout Homeowner’s Preservation Manual: view on line here or pdf: BKSKArchitects_WallaboutHomeownersManual-Web (pdf)
Municipal Art Society of New York and the city’s Landmarks Preservation Commission: “Greening New York City’s Historic Buildings: Green Rowhouse Manual,” by the firm Cook + Fox Architects and Terrapin Bright Green ( a free online manual)
“Benchmarking measures the total electricity, natural gas, steam and fuel oil consumed in a building and adjusts for other factors so that the City can understand which facilities are operating inefficiently. This information allows the City to prioritize buildings for energy efficiency investments and to monitor building performance over time.” For more information click: