I’ve been following the discussion in North Denver Tribune about new developments in historic neighborhoods for quite some time. A contemporary duplex next to a quaint Victorian can stir quite a discussion with strong opinions on both sides. There is one argument however that I have not heard yet and it is sustainability. With building codes being updated every three years and new energy codes adopted by the City the new construction is far superior in terms of energy efficiency. Proper insulation, new doors and windows, low flow plumbing fixtures, energy-star appliances… As an example: two layers of brick (standard wall construction for most older homes) has an R value of about 1, in contrast new code requires at least R-19 insulation for walls. No need to convince anybody that new materials outperform the old ones in terms of energy conservation but let the numbers speak for themselves: Last year my family moved from a 1913 Denver Square to a brand new town home. My Xcel bill for 1,800 SF old home could easily reach and exceed $300 in winter; in my new 2,800 SF house we never went above $130. That’s more than three times less energy used!
I’m not proposing to replace all the old homes with the new ones. “Out with the old, in with the new” is not a very sustainable approach. There is embodied energy in existing structures that needs to be considered. Well maintained historic homes, restored with love, equipped with modern fixtures hold tremendous “green” value (pun intended: both financially and environmentally). But what about those mold infested, structurally unsound, leaky shacks? Cash for (construction) clunkers?
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Preservationists parrot the phrase:
ReplyDelete"The greenest building is the one already built". As you say, it's not true for a leaky, moldy shack that can't even meet the architectural program of the owner.
A common misconception is to add the "embodied energy" of the existing building into the equation. That's irrelevant because there's nothing anyone can do about that energy. You should give credit for the salvage value of the old building, but that counts in favor of the new building.
For a better explanation, http://greenbuildingindenver.blogspot.com/2009/08/greenest-building-is-usually-one.html
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