Money in the Bank
By Bob Massaro
What if every time you opened a bank account there was already money there waiting for you, ready for you to use? Such is the case for those who choose to renovate, restore or adapt and reuse structures of historical significance. Those with initiative and vision who practice historic preservation sustainably are able to capture and "reuse" the embodied energy of these structures, in effect to collect this "money in the bank."
Embodied energy is the energy required to harvest, manufacture, transport, fabricate and install the materials of construction. Twenty percent of the energy that buildings consume in their lifetime is the energy associated with the original construction of the building. Those of us who practice sustainable design and construction work hard to choose materials and methods of construction that have low embodied energy. If the building is already built, its embodied energy already exists, and thus would not have to be "consumed" again.
For many years I was enamored with classic yachts and boats (actually, I still am). Their gleaming mahogany or teak brite work, plumb bows, round bottoms and bronze hardware are movable works of historic art. But they lack many of the technological features of modern yachts and boats. The classic yachting aficionado gives up modern comforts for classic beauty.
The classic beauty of historic buildings present similar rewards and challenges. Some, though not all, were poorly insulated, drafty and leaky. Their old wood structure and trim features were prone to dry rot. Windows were often single glazed and poorly waterproofed. Fireplaces would suck combustion air from distant rooms, making them colder. Lighting, heating and cooling could be of poor quality or inefficient.
However, the preservation world now realizes that there are sustainable solutions to all of these issues. Classic homes and historic buildings can be beautifully restored in a sustainable manner. Spray foam insulation (e.g., Demilac or Icynene), new dual-glazed window packages installed in classic window sash, fireplace inserts with outside combustible air intakes, epoxied and other composite repair of rotted wood, sistered repairs of shagging floors and ceiling joists, zero-VOC paints and stains and more are all among some of the solutions that reduce energy consumption and improve the overall sustainability of historic structures. Lastly, beyond the physical sustainability of reusing older buildings, those who choose to take on such a project, and to do it sustainably, are contributing to the continuity and quality of life in their community.
I must confess that I did not always appreciate the opportunities presented by capitalizing on the embodied energy of historic structures. It was only through the efforts of three women in my community, three historic preservationists, who made the effort to educate me, and sometimes hit me upside the head, that I came to acknowledge and appreciate the benefits of historic preservation.
But once I opened my eyes and ears, I realized that true environmentalists look at every opportunity to fire their passion, even if this opportunity has been waiting for decades.
For additional information about sustainable historic preservation, please visit californiapreservation.org.
November 2008 Builder Architect Edition Issue