NEW SOLAR FOR OLD TOWNS

Can Solar Power Find A Place In U.S. Historic Districts?

17 July 2012 (Solar Industry)

“Solar [a]rrays can serve as a form of green advertising and a source of pride…But what happens when solar installations and historical aesthetics collide?... At the federal level, the U.S. Department of the Interior's National Park Service (NPS) is responsible for preservation programs and activities, and administers the National Register of Historic Places. State historic preservation offices provide resources to communities at the state level.”

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“Once a property is listed with the National Register of Historic Places, it becomes eligible for certain tax credits and grants. If a property owner does not adhere to specific rules, the status and incentives could be lost…A building owner's best bet is to work with a solar installer who is well versed in historic guidelines, which vary by region. In general, installations are acceptable if they cannot be seen from the street…

“The National Trust for Historic Preservation (NTHP)…lists suggestions for people who want to install solar panels on historic buildings…[1] Ground-mounted solar panel arrays should be installed in inconspicuous locations…[2] If a new structure is being built near a historic site, solar panels should be included on the newer building…[3] Solar panels should be placed in areas that are least visible to the public…[4] Installations that would alter the characteristic features of a historic structure should be avoided…[5] Panels should not be visible above the roofline…[and] should be set back from the edge of flat-roof buildings.”

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“In April 2011, the NPS released the Illustrated Guidelines on Sustainability for Rehabilitating Historic Buildings …[and the] U.S. Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), in conjunction with the NTHP, published Implementing Solar PV Projects on Historic Buildings and in Historic Districts …NREL's document cites building-integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) installations as a possible alternative to traditional solar panels…”

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