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General Weatherization Links & Resources

Case Studies | Daylighting | Energy Audits | Energy Conservation and Efficiency | Green Preservation | Guidelines | Weatherization

Case Studies

$6,000 Grants to help Bungalow Owners Save Energy, Money, and the Environment
Inside The Belt. The Historic Chicago Bungalow Association. Spring 2008. Newsletter with cover article on energy savers incentive program that has benefited more than 3,000 bungalow owners to date. (PDF 4.20 MB)

Proving Preservation's "Green" Value
Historic Landmarks Foundation of Indiana. May 4, 2009. Press release on $85,000 Community Development Block Grant to ecoRehab for the renovation of a house using sustainable and recycled materials, high efficiency fixtures and appliances, and water-conserving equipment.

Wolfram Green Bungalow Block: Greener Homes for Belmont-Cragin
Historic Chicago Bungalow Initiative. Website with information on a green model home and on renovations to a series of bungalows in Chicago, all part of the Green Bungalow Block Initiative. Includes water conservation, energy efficiency, and interior air quality.

Daylighting

Daylighting
Whole Building Design Guide. National Institute of Building Sciences. Gregg D. Ander, FAIA. November 5, 2008. Website on daylighting and resources that demonstrate how the practice can reduce as much as one-third of total building energy costs.

Energy Audits

Do-It-Yourself Home Energy Audit
City Green Building. City of Seattle, Washington. December 2008. Illustrated guide on energy audits, air-leaks, moisture control, insulation, heating systems, paybacks, and new technology. Includes a tear-out checklist. (PDF 1.60 MB)

I Need an Energy Audit, Stat!
Washington Post. Jura Koncius. January 22, 2009. Web article explaining step-by-step energy audit of a 1937 Colonial in Washington, DC. 

Rebuild West Virginia
West Virginia's Historic Places. Beautiful and Energy Efficient. Brochure outlining a program targeting National Register-listed places for energy audits and weatherization. (PDF 570 KB)

Earth Day Energy Audit: Does My Middle-Aged House Have an Inconvenient Truth?
National Trust for Historic Preservation. Denise Ryan. April 22, 2009. Blog post from the owner of 1956 house about a step-by-step energy audit, including a ten-page report with findings.

Energy Conservation and Efficiency

Rebuilding America: A National Policy Framework for Investment in Energy Efficiency Retrofits

Center for American Progress and Energy Future Coalition. Reid Detchon, Bracken Hendricks, Benjamin Goldstein and Kurt Shickman. August 2009. Report focuses on residential and commercial building energy efficiency and reaching a goal by 2020 of retrofitting 50 million buildings – generating job growth, energy savings, and requiring $500 billion in public and private investments. (PDF 818 KB)

10 Overlooked Low-Tech Ways of Keeping Your Home Cool
Treehugger. Lloyd Alter. July 7, 2009. Web article with ten tips, including using awnings and operable windows.

A New Enforcer in Buildings, The Energy Inspector
The New York Times. Clifford Krauss. July 17, 2009. Web article addressing the growing role of energy and building codes in curbing energy waste and the role of cities.

City Plans to Make Older Buildings Refit to Save Energy
The New York Times. Andrew C. Revkin. April 22, 2009. Web article outlining a proposal by city officials that would cut $750 million in energy costs, beginning in 2013 and impacting 2,200 buildings.

Climate Change and Your Home
English Heritage. Website for owners of historic homes with helpful information on climate change in context, identifying impacts, and ways to save energy.

Co-Existing With Energy Efficiency
Old House Journal. Noelle Lord. Article addressing energy-saving "improvements," energy audits, and a calculation of energy savings for a retrofitted window vs. replacement. (PDF 57 KB)

Energy Conservation in Traditional Buildings
English Heritage. March 2008. Illustrated report on insulation, draught-proofing, windows, and other ways for rehabilitating your older or historic building to reduce energy usage. (PDF 1.45 MB)

Energy Costs in an Old House: Balancing Preservation and Energy Efficiency
Historic New England. Sally Zimmerman. September 2008. Paper on insulation warnings and setting priorities for energy efficiency. (PDF 41 KB)

Energy Efficiency and Historic Buildings
Georgia Department of Natural Resources. Historic Preservation Division. William Hover. Paper on building systems and definitions, and energy efficiency improvement approaches. PDF 1.01 MB)

Energy Efficiency in Historic Buildings
Old House Web. Web article addressing energy efficiency and the following, 1) wood, masonry, architectural metals; 2) windows; 3) entrances and porches; 4) interior features; 5) mechanical systems; 6) building site; 7) setting (district or neighborhood); and 8) new additions to historic buildings.

Energy Efficiency, Renewable Energy, and Historic Preservation: A Guide for Historic District Commissions
This guide by Clean Air Cool Planet provides guidance about how to sensitively integrate energy efficiency measures and renewable energy in historic districts, with specific sections for historic district commissions and homeowners.

Energy Efficiency Tips For Historic Home Owners
City of Albany, Oregon. Fact sheet outlining measures for retrofitting a historic home, including adding insulation and installing storm windows. (PDF 22 KB)

Historic Architecture vs. Clean Energy
Green, Inc. Kate Galbraith. Website with article discussing the compatibility of sustainable energy conservation and historic buildings.

Making Your Historic Building Energy Efficient
City of Boulder. Illustrated brochure outlining ways to enhance the energy efficiency of historic buildings, with focus on building performance, energy audits, and climate action plan. (PDF 1.17 MB)

Preserving Energy
Traditional Building. List of seven affordable steps that can be easily done to reduce energy loss in a historic building.

Renovating History
Home Energy. Deborah Rider Allen. May/June 2009. Article on pilot energy upgrade project at 1928 Georgian Revival style house in Virginia. (PDF 4.27 MB)

Review of Sustainability of Existing Buildings
The Energy Efficiency of Dwellings – Initial Analysis. Department for Communities and Local Government. London, England. November 2006. Report on domestic energy usage and trends in insulation and heating. (PDF 312 KB)

Saving Energy At Home and On The Road
Yale Project on Climate Change. George Mason University Center for Climate Change. Study of over 2,000 American adults and findings on energy conservation. (PDF 9 MB)

Saving Energy in Your Older Home
The University of Georgia. Cooperative Extension. Jorge H. Atiles and R. Lawton Zurn. April 2008. Brochure with helpful tips on energy savings, audits, air-infiltration, and overall whole house weatherization. (PDF 114 KB)

Taking Issue: Energy Upgrades Threaten Older Homes
Fine Homebuilding. Sally Zimmerman. April 29, 2009. Blog post about older and historic homes and a new era of limited energy resources and role they play in adapting and responding to need for greater energy efficiency.

The Big Switch
The National Trust, UK. Website on the "Big Switch" project to change 40,000 light bulbs across historic houses and other buildings to lower energy usage.

This Old Wasteful House
The New York Times. Richard Moe. April 5, 2009. Op-ed article by National Trust President Richard Moe addressing ways homeowners can go green and the role of older and historic buildings in weatherization.

Green Preservation

Finding Common Ground
Traditional Building. Kim A O'Connell. June, 2007. Web article discussing connections between historic buildings and green building, including examples and areas of conflict and consensus.

Going Green at Home
Preservation. National Trust for Historic Preservation. James Schwartz. March/April 2009. Web article on the green restoration of a 1904 house.

Going Green: Eco-Friendly Tips for Historic Homes
City of Binghampton, New York. Brochure on ten steps for going green. (PDF 510 KB) 

Green Envy
San Francisco Chronicle. Jane Powell. May 13, 2007. Web article discussing the growing popularity of being "green" and the disconnect with buying and throwing away resources, including replacing windows every ten to twenty years.

Historic Green Remodel: Green Remodels Involving Historic Homes Require a Careful Balance of Aesthetics Versus Efficiency
Professional Remodeler. November 1, 2008. Web article outlining tips to create better projects by learning about rehabilitation guidelines, thinking twice before replacing old windows, and weighing all options before installing solar panels.

Historic Preservation and Deep Energy Retrofits Not Really at Odds
Peter Troast. Energy Circle. June 16, 2009. Blog post discussing need for energy fits that are not a "one size fits all" and address historic homes.

Historic Preservation and Green Architecture: Friends or Foes?
Chicago Tribune. Blair Kamin. May 18, 2009. Web article featuring three case studies and material about common ground between preservationists and conservationists.

Historic Preservation and Green Building : A Lasting Relationship
Environmental Building News. January 2007. Resource addressing the Secretary of the Interior's Standards for Rehabilitation, embodied energy, and operating energy, as well as case studies. (PDF 237 KB) 

It's Easy Being Green: Sustainability in Bayfield from a Historic Preservation Perspective
City of Bayfield, Wisconsin. Thorough report on energy conservation, weatherization, windows, solar energy, geothermal systems, and being green. (PDF 8.17 MB) 

Making the Most of It
Architectural Record. Robert Ivy, FAIA. March, 2009. Web article providing common sense advice on how old buildings perform, the "costs" associated with demolition, and preservation's role in building and sustaining healthy communities.

The Greening of Historic Properties White Paper
National Summit. Pittsburgh History & Landmarks Foundation. Green Building Alliance. Paper addressing embodied energy, common challenges, LEED standards, energy efficiency, HVAC, lighting, and materials. (PDF 314 KB)

The Sustainability of Historic Preservation
Historic Denver News. Historic Denver. Andrew Gorrell. Winter 2008. Newsletter with an article on sustainability, green building, and energy efficiency. (PDF 2.56 MB)

What it Means to Be Green
Architectural Record. Nadav Malin. August, 1999. Web article addressing what components make for a sustainable building, plus a look at the Thoreau Center for Sustainability, located in the National Historic Landmark District of the Presidio in San Francisco.

Guidelines

A Do-It-Yourself Guide to Energy Star Sealing: Sealing Air Leaks and Adding Attic Insulation
United States Environmental Protection Agency. November, 2004. Guide on locating and sealing air leaks and adding attic insulation. (PDF 1 MB)

Building Regulations and Historic Buildings
English Heritage. March 2004. Illustrated guide with large section on windows, their importance, types and materials, improving insulation, and roofs. (PDF 1.09 MB)

Fit for the Future – The Green Homes Retrofit Manual
The Housing Corporation. United Kingdom. June 2008. Website with two-part guide and PDF links to energy efficiency, from insulation to solar and wind. Also includes case studies.

Philadelphia Rowhouse Manual. A Practical Guide for Homeowners
City of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Rachel Simmons Schade, AIA. 2008. Illustrated guide on whole-house planning, including weatherization and case studies. (PDF 4.43 MB)

Energy Conservation for Historic Buildings
Historic Preservation Guidelines. District of Columbia. Illustrated brochure on roofs, awnings, attic vents and dormers, landscaping, foundations, windows and doors, roofs, HVAC systems, appliances, and lighting. (PDF 768 KB)

Energy Efficiency and Historic Preservation: A Planning Guide for Buildings
Rebuild Nebraska. Guide with easy to follow checklist for building owners. (PDF 3.62 MB)

Energy Heritage. A Guide to Improving Energy Efficiency in Traditional and Historic Homes
Changeworks. Edinburgh, UK. 2008. Illustrated report on improving energy efficiency, approaches, and case studies. (PDF 3.98 MB)

Green Guidelines: Promoting Environmental and Economic Sustainability Through Historic Preservation
New Hampshire Preservation Alliance. 2009. Resource for town and city decision makers with data and six sustainability goals for guiding development and building reuse in the future in New Hampshire. (PDF 80 KB)

Green Home Buyer's Guide
City Green Building. City of Seattle, Washington. April 2008. Guide on location, size, site and landscaping, energy efficiency, water conservation, healthy indoor air, and sustainable materials. (PDF 2.29 MB)

Conversion of Traditional Buildings: Technical Conservation, Research and Education Group (Part 1)
Historic Scotland. Scottish Building Standards Agency. 2007. Illustrated report on reusing historic buildings, performance of materials, including windows and systems. (PDF 2.49 MB)

Conversion of Traditional Buildings: Technical Conservation, Research and Education Group (Part 2)
Historic Scotland. Scottish Building Standards Agency. 2007. Illustrated report with detailed resources on environmental systems, including moisture, heating, ventilation and overall energy efficiency in older buildings. (PDF 4.15 MB)                                                                              

Historic Homes Can Be Greener Than You Think
McClatchy-Tribune News Service. June 4, 2008. Web article on historic homes in Texas that are green.

Making Your Historic Building Energy Efficient: Principles and Approaches (Volume 1)
City of Boulder, Colorado. August, 2007. Comprehensive guide for owners of historic buildings and how to make energy retrofits while also preserving important character-defining features. (PDF 622 KB)

Making Your Historic Building Energy Efficient: Technical Details (Volume 2)
City of Boulder, Colorado. August, 2007. Companion guide with technical details for making energy retrofits to historic buildings. (PDF 1.13 MB)

Preservation is Green: Sustainable Design and Historic Preservation
City of Louisville, Kentucky. Fact sheet on tips for "greening" a historic house, with a focus on retaining and repairing original windows. (PDF 103 KB)

Sustainable Solutions for Historic Houses in Northern California
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Publication on treatment standards for historic properties and building systems, including windows, insulation, heating and ventilation, plumbing, lighting, materials, and landscaping. (PDF 2.05 MB)

The Energy Smart-Home
Efficiency Vermont. Resource with guidelines for energy efficiency on the outside and inside of the home. (PDF 2.39 MB)

The Green Home Guide
Popular Science Magazine. Online issue of magazine with highly interactive tools, common-sense advice, and resources for homeowners.

Weatherization

Are the Weatherization Stimulus Funds Heading for Disaster?
Earth2Tech. Katie Fehrenbacher. January 29, 2009. Web article discussing the Weatherization Assistance Program and the impact of stimulus funding.

Does Caulk Save More Energy Than Green Tech?
The Wall Street Journal. Jeffrey Ball. Web article and video on how to seal leaks in your old house, starting with a caulk gun.

Do-It-Yourself Home Weatherization Guide
Bonneville Power Administration. 2003. Booklet available on website with specific chapters on how to insulate, weather stripping and caulking, storm windows, and a glossary of heating and insulation terms.

Let's Weatherize
Quest. Amy Standen. April 27, 2009. Radio program connecting federal stimulus package and increase in weatherization, with particular focus on California.

Seven Ways to Weatherize
Old House Journal. Website with brief tips for weatherizing your old house.

Stimulus for Homes: Obama's $5 Billion Weatherization Plan
Popular Mechanics. Bijal P. Trivedi. March 2, 2009. Web article outlining the Weatherization Assistance Program and state application.

The "Longest Running and Perhaps Most Successful" U.S. Energy Efficiency Program
Federation of American Scientists. John P. Millhone. Report looking at the U.S. Weatherization Assistance Program since initially launched, including a state-by-state breakdown of funding and properties weatherized. (PDF 2.45 MB)

Weatherization Assistance Program. U.S. Department of Energy
Website for program, including guidelines, technologies, and state-by-state activities and contacts.

Weatherization: A Test Case
Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. John Millhone. 2009. Report analyzing the Weatherization Assistance Program since its inception and impact nationally. (PDF 90 KB)

Weatherizing Homes: The Next Big Green Industry?
Green Tech. Martin LaMonica. January 28, 2009. Web article discussing the new green industry that is growing in response to interest and desire for weatherization.

Weatherizing Your Historic Home
New Hampshire Division of Historical Resources. Nadine Peterson. Video presentation and PowerPoint discussing ways to weatherize your historic home and available resources.

Weatherize Your Home­ – Caulk and Weather Strip
Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Clearinghouse. U.S. Department of Energy. Guide with illustrations on where, how, and what kind of caulk and weather stripping to use to weatherize your house. (PDF 320 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 other resource listing page) with a link to your favorite online weatherization information and materials. 

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