[MassHistPres] USA Today blog on windows and survey

[David Temple]

[Left this part out of my previous response - sorry]
 
"Confusing" is a gentle way to describe the wording in their questionnaire.  It appears to be designed to encourage anti-window-preservation votes. 
 
The first question:  New products can provide authenticity as well as modern functionality and efficiency (agree/disagree).  Well, yes, I thought, insulating the walls and rewiring the house when needed are good things to do.
 
The second question: Upgrading existing windows is the best option (agree/disagree). I read it and thought, taking out existing windows and replacing them with new "upgrades", so I voted no.  
 
Then I read it again, realized what I think was my mistake, and I switched my vote. I noted with satisfaction and suspicion that my multiple votes would all be counted.   
 
Unfortunately, the Home Depots and Loews of this world employ only window salesmen, not preservationists, so customers only hear one point of view. 


In your reply, please include my original message. AOL users please note!

David Temple 
David F. Temple, Inc. 
300 South Street 
Medfield, MA 02052 
508-359-2915 


--- On Fri, 5/28/10, Weiss, Lorraine (PEB) <Lorraine.Weiss at oprhp.state.ny.us> wrote:


From: Weiss, Lorraine (PEB) <Lorraine.Weiss at oprhp.state.ny.us>
Subject: [MassHistPres] USA Today blog on windows and survey
To: "'masshistpres at cs.umb.edu'" <masshistpres at cs.umb.edu>
Date: Friday, May 28, 2010, 10:01 AM








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Hello all-
 
Yesterday’s National Trust newsfeed highlighted a short but horrifying little article about replacement windows followed by a one-question survey about whether the replacement windows are really better.  The vote yesterday was 80% against old windows.  Please take the time to go to the article and cast your vote:  http://www.windowanddoor.com/article/talk/pushback-historic-replacement-market 
The author believes that the argument is only about “appearance” and not another approach to being “green,” but she is asking for feedback. 
-----------------------------
“So after reading the USA Today blog, I'm left wondering if appearance is really that important to historic enthusiasts that comfort and energy efficiency carry no weight.  With all the options manufacturers now offer to produce historically-accurate windows, can we not have both?  Please share with me what you're seeing in the historic and older building market. Are the views expressed in the National Trust for Historic Preservation for the "National Window Campaign" common?  Should old windows be saved? Are we too quick to replace? Or do old buildings need today's windows to keep functioning? Let's talk....” 

--------------------------------
The article was in response to a USA Today blog that mentioned the Trust’s campaign for windows.  A brief quote indicates that the editor of BuildingGreen remains unconvinced: 
"Hold on. Not so fast!," the letter says, arguing that older windows can be "nearly as energy efficient and their retrofit not nearly as costly as buying new ones." It recommends window repair and storm windows instead.
Do you agree or is the group fear-mongering?
"The historic preservation community is... often too unwilling to consider energy improvements to historic buildings when those changes will affect the building's appearance," says Alex Wilson, executive editor of BuildingGreen, which publishes online and print guides.
"If we don't make our buildings affordable to operate," he says in an e-mail, "they are more likely to become obsolete and get replaced--which defeats the goal of preservation."---------------------------- 
How about that?  Those fear-mongering preservationists!  There blog post is at http://content.usatoday.com/communities/greenhouse/post/2010/05/preservation-group-launches-campaign-against-new-windows-for-old-homes/1#uslPageReturn
Regards,
Lorraine
Lorraine E. Weiss 
Historic Preservation Planner 
__________________________________________________________ 
Division for Historic Preservation  ◙  www.nysparks.state.ny.us 
NYS Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation 
lorraine.weiss at oprhp.state.ny.us - 518-237-8643, x 3122 
  
 
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