[MassHistPres] solar panels in historic districts

[Dennis De Witt]

Willa

Subject to correction, as I understand it, one reason for the sleepers was that they provide a wiring chase above a layer of ice and water shield.  More to the point, these "shingles" are really artificial (tempered glass) slates.  Historically roof slates were attached to spaced nailers (battens) which provided no secondary protection at all. I have been in attics under old functioning slate roofs where you could see part of the lower surfaces of the slates and daylight coming in (up) through numerous harmless chinks.

Dennis 


On Sep 2, 2011, at 1:18 PM, Willa Bandler wrote:

> On Thu, 1 Sep 2011, Dennis De Witt wrote:
> 
>> Solar photovoltaic shingles can be put on in a way that is minimally objectionable.
> 
> Possibly. But solar shingles require separate connections (=separate places for leaks to occur) in every single shingle. The raised hot water solar collectors you deplore stand off the roof and thus protect whatever original material is there, and have minimal roof penetration requirements. I find it interesting that you would prefer a solution that looks better but is potentially worse for the future preservation of the building; one complaint I hear a *lot* about HDCs is that they care about preserving appearances rather than preserving actual history.
> 
> I don't agree with those who compare ugly solar panels (mailboxes, basketball hoops, etc) to vinyl siding and window replacement. The first category is a matter of taste, while the second does actual material harm to the thing we claim to be trying to save. I don't see how totally removable things that make people's lives better are a threat to preservation just because some of us happen not to like them and would rather they be put on the back of the house. (For the record, I don't like the way some solar panels look either, but if the front of the house faces South, putting them on the back of the house isn't really an option.)
> 
> -Willa
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