The Preservation League of New York State recently received a grant of $25,000 from the National Center for Preservation Technology and Training (NCPTT) to support website development and the preparation of a technical report as part of the Preservation League’s CODE GREEN: Making Older Buildings Energy Efficient program.
In January 2011, the Preservation League entered into a partnership with the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) to provide CODE GREEN workshops throughout New York State to address compliance with the energy conservation code in existing and historic structures.
The NCPTT grant will enable the League to develop a technical report addressing additional energy savings opportunities appropriate to historic buildings. This report will use materials presented at CODE GREEN workshops, as well as independent research on the implications of energy conservation for historic buildings. The League is developing this program to serve as a national model.
The grant is one of only ten selected for funding in the United States during the NCPTT’s 2011 funding year. According to Kirk A. Cordell, Executive Director of the NCPTT, “All complete applications underwent staff review followed by a national panel review … The quality and merits of your proposal were recognized by the panel.”
CODE GREEN is designed for contractors, architects and other building professionals and includes a series of six regional workshops, plus an intensive fall symposium. These workshops focus on energy conservation issues of interest to those who work in older buildings, but who do not specialize in historic preservation or historic structures. Participants receive technical information on the Energy Conservation Construction Code of New York State – 2010 and its applications for historic buildings in both classroom and field presentations.
“The technology for enhancing the energy efficiency of historic buildings is improving all the time,” said Jay DiLorenzo, President of the Preservation League. “The choices property owners make today can extend the useful life of their buildings and pay dividends for owners and residents both now and in the future.”
The League’s field services work has illustrated a need for a program such as CODE GREEN. “We often hear from owners of historic properties frustrated by the shortage of building professionals who understand old buildings and the ability to improve their efficiency without sacrificing historic character and features,” said Erin Tobin, the League’s Regional Director of Technical and Grant Programs for Eastern New York and lead staff on the CODE GREEN project. “Our goal is to educate as many members of the building professions as possible on best practices in rehabilitating or retrofitting historic buildings in compliance with the New York State Energy Conservation Code. This grant from the National Center for Preservation Technology and Training will enable us to produce a technical report with findings from the CODE GREEN workshops so that even those who are unable to participate will benefit from the information gathered.”
Founded in 1974, the Preservation League is New York State’s only statewide preservation organization. From its headquarters in Albany, the League’s staff of ten serves all of New York’s 62 counties in an effort to advance preservation both as a means to protect our rich history and heritage and to catalyze economic revitalization in New York’s distressed communities.
The National Center for Preservation Technology and Training, a research division of the National Park Service, is using technology to serve the future of America’s heritage through applied research and professional training. Since its founding in 1994, NCPTT has awarded over $7 million in grants for research that fulfills its mission of advancing the use of science and technology in the field of historic preservation. Working in the fields of archeology, architecture, landscape architecture and materials conservation, the National Center accomplishes its mission through training, education, research, technology transfer and partnerships.
The League is planning to issue a request for proposals for elements of this grant-supported work over the summer. For more information on the RFP or on the Preservation League, please call 518-462-5658 or visit the League’s website at www.preservenys.org.
