Best Practices
Energy Efficiency, Sustainability and Green Design
Sustainability Survey | Green Downtowns| Green Roofs | White Roofs | Wind Farms
I am in search of communities who have created a "Green Downtowns" program, an effort we are developing here in Maine through a partnership with our Main Street program, Statewide preservation organization and a private foundation. Loosely defined, this involves everything from the obvious building retention and recycling to tree planting, urban trail development, public litter recycling, creative public education/outreach campaign and local leadership development. Good examples, fresh ideas and suggestions are needed. Thanks!
Michigan - At the 2008 Greening the Heartland Conference in St. Louis, I was impressed by a presentation by Mayor Heartwell of Grand Rapids, Michigan (pop. ~200,000) about how hard they are working toward sustainability. In 2007, the United Nations recognized Grand Rapids as a "Center of Expertise" in sustainability. They hired a City Sustainability Manager to implement their sustainability plan. I think the area has maybe 35 LEED-certified buildings. Some of their focus is downtown but don't know if they specifically have a green downtowns program such as you mentioned. Hope they have something that can help you.
Maryland: Please see this article about the green roof on the Montgomery Park building in Baltimore City This rehab was assisted with state (and probably federal) rehabilitation tax credits.
Massachusetts
Oregon: A green roof was added to a historic home in Portland, OR- a hostel on Hawthorne Blvd. I am not sure whether the house is on a Register but it is certainly a historic home that still has the original character.
Virginia:
- The Atlantic Building in Norfolk, Virginia
Owned by several members of the architecture firm it houses, Hanbury Evans Wright Vlattas.- Cromley Lofts in Alexandria, VA has a green roof. http://www.cromleylofts.com/Cromley%20Lofts.html
An article appeared in the Washington Post following a statement by Energy Secretary Cho about the potential for white roofs to slow global warming by improving reflectivity and reducing the heat-island effect. There have been discussions in this forum about solar panels and wind-turbines in historic districts. Has anyone in the aether started to see this as a concern in your historic districts?
Alabama:We had someone interested in replacing their gray 3-tab shingle roof with a white, architectural tab shingle. We took this to the ARB for an advisory review and they determined that it would significantly alter the character of the property and they would not approve such a request if it came before them officially. The attraction for this person was the available tax credits, but she has since found other shingles that offer similar efficiency and also qualify for the credits that can be used in the district.
Colorado: White or light colored roofs are definitely one approach to reducing energy costs and heat island effects. I think you are correct that this may become an issue (if not already) in historic districts as home and business owners may want to go to lighter colored shingles or other roofing to reduce energy costs. As with our typical reviews for COAs, we will likely have to stand firm that the color of the roofing material is essential to maintaining the historic look and character of the structure and that other measures such as increased roof insulation can provide the same level of energy savings and heat island effects can be mitigated elsewhere on the property by using lighter colored concrete or asphalt for driveways, providing more shade trees, etc.
Delaware: The Energy Coordinating Agency of Philadelphia (a non-profit) is doing it with their Cool Roofs/Cool Homes Program. They're using them on flat roofs, though, so there's not the same problem with visual effects as pitched roofs. They claim to reduce A/C load by 20% in the Middle Atlantic region. The bonus for this program is that they created jobs with it, hiring and training their own workforce to achieve uniform workmanship. Contact Liz Robinson, Executive Director, at www.ecasavesenergy.org, 1924 Arch St, Philadelphia, PA 19103, (215) 988-0929. She gave a paper on it at the Sixth National Forum on Historic Preservation Practice in March.
Florida: We have not had any requests for white roofs in Orlando's historic districts (aside from a flat roof behind a parapet for a commercial building). However, we have had several requests for solar panels on roofs. So far they requests have all been on roofs that are not visible from the street and they have been allowed.
Georgia:
- Yes, which is why the program also involves insulating attic spaces.
- There is supposed to be a mildew inhibitor in the shingle, but I have no idea what the life of that is--or how effective it is. It doesn't take long for most surfaces here to take on that black, powdery patina.
Maryland: We haven't had any applications for white roofs in the Annapolis Historic District, but the topic came up at a work session the HPC held last week-we were reviewing the city's sustainability community action plan. A comment from a LEED certified architect on the commission suggests that it may not be as effective where we are.
We have a developer of a wind farm in Nebraska that has claimed that the filing of the project with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) does not constitute a federal undertaking. Has anyone else come across this, or have some case law that can make an argument contrary?
Alabama: Deciding what constitutes an undertaking is the responsibility of the FERC agency official, not the developer. Look at the definition of “undertaking” at 800.16 (y); do they require permits?
Colorado:In Colorado USDA Rural Development has been involved with funding some wind towers.
Iowa: Iowa has seen a huge boom in wind farm construction over the last 2-3 years and in that time we have been unable to identify consistent federal involvement. Some of the small operators receive funding through USDA Rural Developments Alternative Energy program but these typically constitute one or two of the smaller facilities servicing a designated user and are not hooked to the main grid.
We have been able to invoke 106 on a few of the larger farms requiring COE permits. Sites have been identified and fortunately avoided. We have long suspected that the Department of Energy or FERC might be flying below the radar screen on the development of the big fields but have not been able to tie them to grants, loans, permits, tax credits, guarantees, etc., that would trigger our involvement.
Occasionally companies sponsoring the big developments must pass through the Iowa Utilities Board for franchising agreements or state regulatory waivers. When this happens we file a review letter citing the need for formal consultation in the event that a federal action is identified and containing cautionary statements regarding the Iowa Burial Laws. In some cases, this is enough to bring the applicant a-calling.
New Hampshire:The only federal hook we’ve had in New Hampshire is if an Army Corps permit is necessary. We’ve done exhaustive research and have not identified FERC as a federal agency in wind farm permitting here.
New York: In NY we have found that most wind farms fall only under State regs - and even some of those are not applicable if they are of sufficiently small size. We often do get a federal undertaking though with relation to the necessary lines to connect them to the grid and access roads - when they cross ACOE wetlands. Then the "if but for" argument comes into play to determine which "parts" of the project fall under federal jurisdiction. I would think that if a farm or the associated grid lines cross state lines (making it interstate commerce -Regulates the transmission and wholesale sales of electricity in interstate commerce;) then FERC would be involved.
Texas: The involvement of FAA does not trigger Section 106 for wind farms according to the Council. I looked into this a couple of years ago and could not find any federal connection other than 404 permits in some instances, but most of our wind farms are on mesa tops in arid portions of the state, so the Corps is not always involved.
Vermont: From the FERC website at http://www.ferc.gov/o12faqpro/default.asp?Action=Q&ID=262 :
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I know if my wind farm project is subject to FERC jurisdiction and filing requirements?
Q: How do I know if my wind farm project is subject to FERC jurisdiction and filing requirements?
A: Wind farms are not subject to FERC jurisdiction and filing requirements. For more information about what FERC regulates please visit here. To find out more energy about wind farms you may want to visit the Department of Energy’s Web site at www.doe.gov.Based on the above, why is the developer filing with FERC at all? Depending on the height of the towers, the FAA may require that they be lit or have warning lights, bringing in Federal involvement and 106 review.
Wyoming: So far, most of the farms in Wyoming that are being developed on private lands only have not fallen under a federal nexus
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For corrections or comments on the website please contact Kristen Harbeson at harbeson@sso.org
