The Whole House Resource Bank
 Links & Resources
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Our Whole House Resource Bank is designed to be your portal to the best weatherization information, tools, and materials available on the Internet today. Here you'll find five full sections (general weatherization, energy audits, windows, roofing, insulation, mechanical systems) populated with hundreds of links to websites, articles, reports, case studies, and do-it-yourself checklists – all written, prepared, and presented by movers and shakers in preservation and energy efficiency.
Check out each of the five sections to the right, but also be sure to explore our list of ten links that you should definitely bookmark listed (in alphabetical order) below.
Do-It-Yourself Home Energy Audit
Illustrated guide on energy audits, air leaks, moisture control, insulation, heating systems, paybacks, and new technology. Includes a tear-out checklist. (City of Seattle, PDF 1.60 MB)
Energy Conservation in Traditional Buildings
Illustrated report on insulation, draught-proofing, windows, and other ways for rehabilitating your older or historic building to reduce energy usage. (English Heritage, PDF 1.45 MB)
Energy Efficiency and Historic Preservation: A Planning Guide for Buildings
Guide with a broad view of steps to take when planning and implementing energy efficiency projects in older and historic buildings. Checklist included.(Rebuild Nebraska, PDF 3.62 MB)
Historic Homeworks
Website that offers free webinars on how to tackle a variety of old house projects, including window repairs. Also features a reader forum, several publications, and other helpful tools.
Making Your Historic Building Energy Efficient: Volume 1, Principles and Approaches
Comprehensive guide for owners of older buildings about how to make energy retrofits while also preserving important, character-defining features. (City of Boulder, PDF 622 KB)
Preservation Briefs
Website with links to online briefs on a variety of weatherization-related issues, including heating, ventilating, and cooling; the repair and thermal upgrading of historic steel windows; controlling unwanted moisture; the repair of historic wooden windows; and roofing. (National Park Service)
Saving Energy in Your Older Home
Brochure with helpful tips on energy savings, audits, air-infiltration, and overall whole house weatherization. (University of Georgia, PDF 114 KB)
The Right Thing: What are the Facts and the Myths of the Replace vs. Restore Historic Windows Debate
Website with illustrations of inappropriate replacement windows and discussion about ten myths commonly associated with replacement windows.
Top Ten Reasons to Restore or Repair Wood Windows
Fact sheet with simple and straight-forward reasons for repairing historic wood windows. (New England Window Restoration Alliance, PDF 40 KB)
What Replacement Windows Can't Replace: The Real Cost of Removing Historic Windows
Study looking at sustainability and authenticity, environmental costs, energy savings, air infiltration, heat loss and gain, insulated glass, performance and material quality, and payback. (APT Bulletin: Journal of Preservation Technology, PDF 127 KB)
Did we miss something? Share it! Add your own two cents to the Whole House Resource Bank by leaving a comment below (or on any subsequent resource listing page) with a link to your favorite online weatherization information and materials.
