Harrisburg Architect Says Sustainable Design Critical to Historic Rehabilitation of Pennsylvania Downtown Communities

August 22, 2005

Vern L. McKissick III, AIA, principal of McKissick Associates, addressed the PA Downtown Center recently at its annual conference in State College. A keynote speaker for the program themed "Cultivating A Greener Downtown," McKissick discussed historic rehabilitation and sustainable design for the community leaders gathered at the four-day symposium.

The Pennsylvania Downtown Center, the only statewide nonprofit organization dedicated solely to the revitalization of Pennsylvania's core, or traditional, communities, provides outreach, technical assistance and educational services. The organization assists communities interested in the revitalization of their central business districts and surrounding residential neighborhoods.

In his address, McKissick reviewed ongoing efforts in historic rehabilitation of Pennsylvania downtown communities and the critical need to employ the principles of sustainable design and "green" architectural practices in restoring existing structures. "A 'green' building places a high priority on health, environmental, and resource conservation performance over its life cycle. These priorities expand and complement the classical building design concerns: economy, utility, durability and delight," according to McKissick.

In his discourse, McKissick emphasized the importance of applying "green" elements to the rehabilitation of historic structures. "The rehabilitation of historic structures while making them 'green' requires a combination of repairs, alterations and additions which increase the environmental compatibility of the building while preserving those features or portions of the building which convey its historical, cultural or architectural values. Historic buildings have inherently 'green' features, such as existing natural day lighting and natural cooling and ventilation."

According to McKissick, "Many historic buildings have energy saving physical features and devices, such as masonry walls, porches and wide roof overhangs, which contribute to good thermal performance. Often, historic buildings require little thermal improvement. Reopening windows and restoring other original ventilation features help historic buildings to function as originally intended."

By emphasizing the original thermal design properties of a historic building, and by applying modern manufactured energy improvements, such as insulation, thermal efficient windows and shading devices, a historic building - either public or private - can be retrofitted to accentuate its historic properties as well as its comfort and security.

In a discussion of projects that his firm has completed in the area of historic rehabilitation with sustainable architecture, McKissick cited the successful renovation of the Eagles Mere Historic Village in Eagles Mere, PA and the St. Stephen's Episcopal School in Harrisburg as outstanding examples of "green" design incorporated into historic structures. "Both projects," according to McKissick, "exhibit the spirit of sustainable design within an existing structure located in a downtown setting. By minimizing the changes to the historic nature of the buildings, we have created a more usable environment without destroying the historic significance of the original construction."