HPC of South Bend and St. Joseph County - Standards Update Draft

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City of South Bend and St. Joseph County Historic Preservation Guidelines 117 For More Information: Sustainability and Historic Preservation This section reviews sustainability from a design perspective and applies to both historic preservation and new construction of both residential and commercial buildings . At a neighborhood level, this may include ways in which buildings are designed to provide solar access to abutting properties. For individual historic buildings, it includes making the best use of inherent energy-saving features, and for all sites, considerations for use of sustainable materials, managing storm water, and a variety of technological systems . These guidelines demonstrate how historic resources can meet sustainability objectives while also adhering to policies for historic preservation . They address many design features and building components discussed in other sections of the Model Guidelines as well . Some comprehensive sites to check out related to sustainability and historic buildings include: • The Secretary of the Interior has a site devoted to sustainable rehabilitation practices dealing with all aspects of a project . Secretary of the Interior Guidelines on Sustainability for Rehabilitating Historic Buildings • The National Park Service also offers the following guide on sustainability and historic preservation—here . • The National Main Street Center offers the following on energy conservation—here . Preserving and enhancing historic places promotes three basic components of sustainability. 1 . Cultural/Social Sustainability: Preserving historic places and patterns promotes social and cultural sustainability by supporting everyday connections between residents and the cultural heritage of the community, both tangible and intangible . 2 . Environmental Sustainability: Rehabilitation of historic and other existing resources conserves energy that is embodied in the construction of existing structures. It also reduces impacts on land fill from demolition and reduces the need to fabricate new materials, often with high levels of embodied energy . 3 . Economic Sustainability: the economic benefits of protecting historic resources include higher property values and return on investment, job creation in rehabilitation industries and increased heritage tourism . Cultural and Social Component of Sustainability This component relates to the maintenance of the community’s cultural traditions and social fabric . Preserving historic places and patterns promotes cultural and social sustainability by supporting everyday connections between residents and the cultural heritage of the community . These connections are reinforced by the physical characteristics of historic places, which often directly support environmental Sustainability and Historic Preservation DRAFT