4.0 HPSR 12-08-2005 - Laserfiche WebLink

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5 building we are simultaneously throwing away the embodied energy incorporated into that building. How significant is embodied energy? In Australia they've calculated that the embodied energy in the existing building stock is equivalent to ten years of the total energy consumption of the entire country. But razing historic buildings results in a triple hit on scarce resources. First, we throwing away thousands of dollars of embodied energy. Second we are replacing it with materials vastly more consumptive of energy. What are most historic houses built from? Brick, plaster, concrete and timber. What are among the least energy consumptive of materials? Brick, plaster, concrete and timber. What are major components of new buildings? Plastic, steel, vinyl and aluminum. What are among the most energy consumptive of materials? Plastic, steel, vinyl and aluminum. Third, recurring embodied energy savings increase dramatically as a building life stretches over fifty years. You're a fool or a fraud if you say you are an environmentally conscious builder and yet are throwing away historic buildings, and their components. The World Bank has specifically related the concept of embodied energy with historic buildings saying, "...the key economic reason for the cultural patrimony case is that a vast body of valuable assets, for which sunk costs have already been paid by prior generations, is available. It is a waste to overlook such assets." The closest thing we have to a broad-based sustainable development movement in the United States is known as Smart Growth. There is no movement in America today that enjoys a more widespread support across political, ideological, and geographical boundaries than does SY12aYt Growth. Democrats support it for environmental reasons, Republicans for fiscal reasons, big city mayors, rural county commissioner, there are Smart Growth supporters everywhere. The increasing public volume and political expenditures of Smart Growth's opponents is in direct relationship to Smart Growth's broad and growing support. The Smart Growth movement also has a clear statement of principles, and here it is: • Create range of housing opportunities and choices • Create walkable neighborhoods • Encourage community and stakeholder collaboration • Foster distinctive, attractive places with a Sense of Place • Make development decisions predictable, fair, and cost effective • Mix land uses • Preserve open space, farmland, natural beauty and critical environmental areas • Provide variety of transportation choices • Strengthen and direct development toward existing communities • Take advantage of compact built design. But you know what? If a community did nothing but protect its historic neighborhoods it will have advanced every Smart Growth principle. Historic preservation IS Smart Growth. A Smart Growth approach that does not include historic preservation high on the agenda is not only missing a valuable strategy, but, like the historic buildings themselves, an