Blair Kamin, architecture critic for the Chicago Tribune, says that historic preservationists need to rethink their "preservation at all costs" strategies in light of global warming.
Kamin writes, "Should preservationists place a new and unremitting emphasis on saving energy, or should retaining the integrity of architectural masterworks remain paramount? To what extent, if at all, should preservationists be guided by the U.S. Green Building Council's standards for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification?
In other words, should the green movement and the threat of climate change prompt a rethinking of what it means to be a historic preservationist at the dawn of the 21st century?
The answer, in a word, is yes."
Kamin goes into detail on 3 recent Midwestern projects as case studies.
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