Before you replace your old wood windows with vinyl ones in the name of energy efficiency, read this article from TreeHugger. It highlights two interests of ours at SustainaBuild: energy efficiency and historic preservation. The National Trust for Historic Preservation highly recommends that you not switch out your beautiful wood windows for gleaming white vinyl ones, and they have a tip sheet on how to seal and restore wood windows. Not to mention replacing wood windows for vinyl windows is one of the least cost-effective things you can do when it comes to energy efficiency.



For more on balancing historical architecture with energy efficiency, stay tuned for posts on SustainaBuild's upcoming project located in Tacoma's North Slope Historical District.