Page 84 - Plano, TX Heritage Preservation Plan

EMERGING TRENDS

New trends and connections to heritage resources are important components to successful heritage preservation
programs. Planning for the care of heritage resources in the wake of a natural disaster, incorporating heritage resources in
the planning of new public infrastructure projects, and incorporating heritage planning into sustainability initiatives are
some examples of emerging trends. Preserving heritage resources is a fundamental part of a comprehensive approach to
sustainability and an important topic of discussion throughout the country. Keeping historic properties in use conserves
the energy embodied in their creation. Historic buildings can also operate in energy conserving ways and compatible
retrofits for energy conservation are encouraged. If historic resources are demolished, this investment in embodied
energy is lost and significant new energy demands are required to replace it.

Goal: To develop a program that responds to emerging trends and is a leader in new
and creative preservation initiatives.

Plano Tomorrow - ENERGY EFFICIENCY & SUSTAINABILITY
Environmental Quality

To research Plano Tomorrow’s Description
environmental quality vision please Preserving a community’s heritage resources – such as built resources, historic
visit this link: parks, and open spaces - is key to promoting the City of Plano’s sustainability
principles expressed in Plano Tomorrow. Specifically, the “Natural Environment”
http://www.planotomorrow.org/ pillar of Plano Tomorrow focuses on maintaining Plano as a “healthy and
sustainable city, whose policies and investments focus on building and site
efficiency, protecting and restoring natural resources, and improving the
resiliency of the community.” Maintaining Plano’s open spaces and natural
resources is a key component of this pillar, indicating the importance of Plano’s
historic parks such as Haggard Park and Harrington Park, as well as other spaces
within which preservation-focused events occur such as the Oak Point Park and
Nature Preserve.

Also key to the City’s sustainability policies is the “Building and Site Efficiency”
component of the pillar, which includes policies for building design, water
conservation, renewable energy, and stormwater management. Preserving
heritage resources is itself a sustainable action and is supplemented with
the possibilities of incorporating sustainable building materials and energy-
generating sources. The preservation, rather than demolition, of a heritage
resource retains a structure’s embodied energy, which would be lost upon

Solar panels on a historic building demolition. By preserving the original materials and enhancing historic
structures to become more energy-efficient, the building’s lifecycle is
lengthened and energy is saved. For instance, repairing, weather-stripping and
insulating an original window is more energy-efficient and much less expensive
than new windows, and is also sound preservation practice. Newer window
materials are also often less sustainable and require the extraction of raw, non-
renewable materials. High levels of energy are involved in production and the
new materials will often also have an inherently short lifespan.

84 Preservation Plano 150 NOVEMBER 2018