Steve Wilke-Shapiro

Sustainability has become a core component of modern-day historic preservation activism. Indeed, we now recognize that the two are integrally related: there is no building greener than the one not built. By finding ways to creatively reuse and adapt existing structures to modern-day activities, we not only “save” our history, but also reduce the need for new construction.

As a designer, I often lament that the loss of historic building craft has had a negative impact on both the character and longevity of the structures we build today. It also has a negative impact on communities in terms of employment and multi-generational tradition.

Renovation in general, and preservation in particular, are labor-dependent. That is, a greater percentage of the project cost in a renovation project is paid as wages rather than materials. Since wages equal jobs, preservation can be a great economic development tool. The Green & Main Pilot Project promotes socioeconomic sustainability by utilizing a broad range of skilled labor and specialized technical expertise. Even deconstruction of the interior is being performed in an intensively conscientious manner.

On a broad scale, preservation and renovation of existing buildings (particularly in urban areas) allow us to better utilize existing infrastructure and provide services more effectively to more people. Because many older neighborhoods were developed in a time before widespread automobile use, they tend to be more compact and connected. In addition, an already developed site allows for reuse of existing roads, sewers and utilities. This pilot project is reutilizing a building in a connected and walkable urban neighborhood that is accessible by a variety of transportation modes.

At the individual building level, extending the useful life of a structure through renovation allows us to improve energy efficiency while also minimizing use of new-source construction materials. Preservation encourages adaptive reuse of existing buildings, even as our needs and technologies change over time. The Green & Main building will be retrofit to a high level of energy efficiency while respecting the historic character-defining elements. For example, the historic storefront windows will be painstakingly recreated, though insulated glass will be utilized in place of the original single panes.

It is critically important for us to regain an understanding of how sustainable communities operate at both the individual building level and the broader urban scale. As a pilot project, Green & Main will serve as a brilliant case study. However, most of the projects I work on do not overtly address “sustainability” as part of their stated goals. Most of the people I work with simply love their homes and want to invest in the continued success of their neighborhoods. Sustainability is inherent in – and inseparable from – the act of renovating.

– Steve Wilke-Shapiro is a designer with Silent Rivers Design + Build. He is often found rummaging through the kimchee aisle at Gateway Market.

Steve Wilke-Shapiro

Green & Main has “broken ground” in both the physical sense and the conceptual.

The Green & Main team is working diligently to integrate sustainable building practices, environmental air quality considerations and recycling strategies into the everyday work pattern. These ideas and practices are most often seen on larger commercial construction projects, but rarely on smaller mixed-use buildings like those that exist in small downtowns and cities across the state.

The first phase of physical work on the building involves what we are calling intentional deconstruction (See deconstruction and site source separation photo gallery here). This term differentiates our work from traditional “demolition,” where little care is paid to either the remaining structure or what happens to the materials once they are removed. In contrast, intentional deconstruction looks at the project holistically: existing materials removed as part of the renovation are carefully removed with the intention that they be reused in other applications or recycled when possible. In some cases this may mean consciously separating materials for recycling. In other cases, it means removing (and of course recycling) hundreds of nails!

Intentional deconstruction will prepare the building for structural upgrades, energy sealing, new buildings systems and the redesigned interior. Some of the materials being removed include plaster, ceiling tiles, electrical wiring, furnaces and duct work and the concrete basement floor. Each item removed will be sorted, weighed and documented as part of LEED certification.

This intentional process involves substantial planning, communication and management effort. At Green & Main, we have adopted a four-pronged strategy: plan, communicate, assess and document. We have been planning for months on how to implement best practices into the everyday work, researching comparable approaches and developing our own project-specific approaches. As new people become involved with the project, procedures (and the reasoning behind them) will be communicated as part of a short briefing. However, we also recognize that these ideas represent a moving target and feedback will be incorporated into a weekly assessment meeting. As the process unfolds, we will document both the successes and inevitable setbacks.

We are all learning together as a community of builders, designers, and developers – the next project will be that much easier!

– Steve Wilke-Shapiro is a designer with Silent Rivers Design + Build. His techniques for intentional deconstruction of the psyche are known worldwide.