Preservation is Climate Action (Happy Earth Day!)

Happy Earth Day and a friendly reminder that historic preservation is climate action!

As Carl Elefante famously said back in 2007, the “greenest building is the one that’s already built.” To take that a step further, we need to recognize that historic buildings need to be made more sustainable as well. The data* is clear that when retrofitted, existing buildings are more sustainable than new construction. Preserving our built environment and giving these buildings second lives as sustainable spaces that serve their communities is a tangible way to engage in climate action.

We’ve compiled information to help communicate how preservation and sustainability go hand-in-hand. Is something missing? Please get in touch!

*(for example, see Table 12 in The Greenest Building report).