Sustainable Preservation
There is often a perception that historic preservation is at odds with sustainability, but we take the view that the opposite is true. Restoring historic buildings is inherently sustainable, preserving the embodied energy of a space and keeping that building material out of landfills. Advances in green technology and sustainable building practices can and should be incorporated into historic renovations whenever possible. And it is worth mentioning that historic preservation cares about protecting landscapes, too.
In this webinar, the League welcomed Nakita Reed, Associate at Quinn Evans, Evan Mason, Principal of Sustainable Homes+Yards, Melissa Auf der Maur, Director and Co-founder of Basilica Hudson and River House Project, and Angel Ayón, Principal of AYON Studio Architecture and Preservation, to have a conversation around the intersection of preservation and sustainability, from specific policy issues and project examples to how the field needs to move forward.
Nakita Reed kicked off the panel with three quotes that are worth repeating here:
“We don’t inherit the earth from our parents, we borrow it from our children”
Native Proverb“Historic preservation is a conversation with our past about our future.”
National Park Service“Sustainability without equity is sustaining inequity.”
NAACP Centering Equity in the Sustainable Building Sector
As we continue to think about how the preservation field can be an active partner in making our world more sustainable, these quotes are certainly helpful to keep in mind. We all have a role to play in the fight against climate change. It is both a global and a local issue. As individuals and as preservationists, let’s keep pushing ourselves forward to help create more just and resilient communities for ourselves, for our neighbors, for people around the world, and for the generations to follow us.
THIS EVENT WAS PART OF THE LEAGUE’S FUTURE OF PRESERVATION WEBINAR SERIES. THANK YOU TO OUR PROGRAM SPONSORS, THE PEGGY N. & ROGER G. GERRY CHARITABLE TRUST.
Nakita Reed, AIA, CPHC, LEED AP BD+C, NOMA, is an Associate at Quinn Evans in Baltimore, Maryland. Her work focuses on sustainable strategies in design and construction, especially as it relates to the preservation, restoration, and adaptive reuse of historic buildings. Nakita hosts the podcast Tangible Remnants, she co-founded Black in Historic Preservation, and serves on the board of the Zero Net Carbon Collaboration.
Evan Mason, LEED GA, is Principal of Sustainable Homes+Yards, a residential interior design firm that incorporates historic preservation and green building science with interior and space design. Evan has long sought to break down the barriers between historic preservation and sustainability, and is particularly interested in exploring and prioritizing which steps towards energy efficiency the average homeowner can affordably undertake.
Melissa Auf der Maur is the Co-founder and Director of Basilica Hudson and River House Project. River House received an Excellence in Historic Preservation Award from the League in 2020, and it really is an excellent example of how sustainability can be integral to a successful historic building restoration. Melissa and her team are currently working on their next phase for Basilica Hudson, putting the climate and social inequity crisis at the top of their mission. This includes an ambitious workforce training program, the Basilica Green and Historic Trades Training Pilot Program. The building and campus itself becomes the teacher during their NET ZERO CAMPUS PROJECT as a two-year training site.
Angel Ayón, AIA, LEED AP, is Principal of AYON Studio, a community-driven firm committed to heritage conservation and preservation advocacy. Based in New York City, AYON Studio is MBE certified for work with both city and state agencies. It is a diverse and inclusive practice that supports collaboration and continuing education, as well as ongoing research and learning opportunities for their staff, consultants, and clients. Angel is an architect and preservationist who believes it is the responsibility of the current generation to save and secure our built environment as a cultural asset. Angel is also Vice Chair of the Preservation League’s Board of Trustees.