Sustainability Guidelines Interactive Web Feature Launched

Technical Preservation Services is pleased to announce that The Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation & Illustrated Guidelines on Sustainability for Rehabilitating Historic Buildings are now available as an interactive web feature, at www.nps.gov/tps/standards/rehabilitation/guidelines/index.htm. Published in 2011, the Guidelines on Sustainability are the first set of official guidelines on how to make changes to improve energy efficiency and preserve the character of historic buildings. The Guidelines are an important addition to current discussions about sustainability and achieving greater energy efficiency, which have focused primarily on new buildings to date. The Guidelines on Sustainability stress the inherent sustainability of historic buildings and offer specific guidance on “recommended” rehabilitation treatments and “not recommended” treatments, which could negatively impact a building’s historic character. Illustrations of both types of treatments are included. The Guidelines are designed to assist building owners in planning rehabilitation projects that will meet the Standards for Rehabilitation. This feature is the latest in the series of web-based training offered by Technical Preservation Services to provide professional development alternatives and enrichment programs for professional preservationists, local preservation commissions, volunteers, and anyone interested in more in-depth training in historic preservation. All of the online programs are available at www.nps.gov/tps/education/online-training.htm. Technical Preservation Services, Cultural Resources, Partnerships and Science, National Park Service, develops historic preservation policy and guidance on preserving and rehabilitating historic buildings, administers the Federal Historic Preservation Tax Incentives Program for rehabilitating historic buildings, and sets the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties. ________________________