Sustainability: Historic Green – Passive Strategies for Heating and Cooling

Written by: Corie Baker, AIA, LEED AP, Pond and Company

The continued use and reuse of historic buildings is, at its core, a sustainable building practice – it reduces demolition waste, it reduces the use of new materials and resources, and it limits new infrastructure needs. In addition, historic buildings often utilized passive heating and cooling strategies, which are still relevant today and can help reduce the loads on modern mechanical equipment.  

Trees Worth Saving

Trees clean our air and protect us and our houses from the blazing sun and strong winds. They soften the impact of rain and reduce the amount of run-off into our creeks and rivers. If the environmental impact alone isn't enough to protect our trees, consider this. Studies have shown that trees can contribute as much 15-20% of the value of a home or a building. A single tree on your property can add as much as $10,000 to the value of your home.

Some go to great lengths to protect a tree. Recently, CNN ran a story about the efforts a developer in Austin took to save a 100-year-old tree to make way for a new hotel. Have you seen some of those "new" developments out by 9A? Houses upon house and not a tree to be seen. Most of the District is populated by an abundance of trees offering shade for your homes and cool afternoon walks. If your little slice of heaven isn't, why don't you get outside and plant a tree… today!

Now is a Great Time to Plant Trees

Perhaps some of you think we focus on trees too much, but if you think about it, trees are second only to historic architecture when we think of Riverside Avondale. And, as you probably know, our neighborhoods have a large number of mature water and laurel oaks, both having a life span of only about 60 years. These mature oaks will die during the coming decade, so we must act now by planting young trees to eventually replace them…to provide shade, add beauty, control water runoff, etc. Our recommended choice for new trees is the live oak, not only a magnificent tree but a species with a life-span of hundreds of years.

Pritchard Road Nursery is having a tree sale now. Here are some examples:

Live Oak: 3 gal. – $15
Sycamore: 15 & 30 gal. – $75 & $150
Magnolia: 30 gal – $150
Tulip Poplar: 15 gal – $75
Honeylocust: 15 gal – $70
Sweetgum: 15 gal – $75
Dawn Redwood: 15 gal – $25

Pritchard Road Nursery, 378-8808

Directions: I-10 west to I-295 north to Pritchard Road, then east about a mile…the nursery is on your left.

Suggestion: plant a tree in honor of someone; e.g., a child or grandchild. Every time my grandson comes over we go look at “his” tree.