Sustainability Case Studies
In recent years, a number of rating systems have been developed to assess the green qualities of a building. In the United States, by far the most popular of these systems is the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) program. There are a number of LEED products that can be applied to the renovation of historic buildings, such as LEED-New Construction (which is intended for use with new buildings and major renovation projects) and LEED-Existing Building, which is an assessment tool for existing building operations.
More than 30 historic buildings across the country have been LEED certified, and there are a number of projects in progress that will seek LEED certification. With generous financial support from United Technologies Corporation, the National Trust for Historic Preservation is working to convert a turn-of-the-century building into a visitors’ center at President Lincoln’s Cottage at the Soldier’s Home in Washington, D.C. We expect that the Robert S. Smith Visitor’s Education Center at President Lincoln’s Cottage will earn a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold rating.
Other noteworthy green historic rehabs include:
- Larsen Green, Green Bay, WI
- Trinity Church, Boston, MA
- U.S. Naval Academy, Annapolis, MD
- Cambridge City Hall Annex, Cambridge, MA
- J.W. McCormack Federal Courthouse, Boston, MA
- Villagra Building, Santa Fe, NM
- William A. Kerr Building, St. Louis, MO
- Howard Hall, Athens, NY
Submitted by marber at: April 26, 2009
teaching preservation design and sustainability