Something Old, Something Green

Two libraries will be featured at the 22nd Annual RI Statewide Historic Preservation conference in Pawtucket on Saturday, April 14, 2007. The focus of this year's conference, "Something Old, Something Green", is the exchange between historic preservation and sustainability. Jean Carroon, AIA, LEED of Goody Clancy (Boston) will deliver the keynote address, “Defining Green: Sustainable Design and Historic Preservation.”

The historic Pawtucket Public Library will be a stop on a walking tour of Downtown Pawtucket, and the Central Falls Free Public Library and the Lysander and Susan Flagg Museum will be a stop on the Central Falls bus tour. One session of particular interest to library professionals and supporters is the State Preservation Grants panel, which will provide information on how to apply for restoration grants; libraries in Westerly and Pawtucket have already benefited from this program.

The day-long “Something Old, Something Green” conference will feature several green-preservation theme sessions and tours. These include a roundtable discussion, a tour of hydropower sites on the Blackstone River, a panel about renewable energy installations at historic properties, a look at two local projects seeking LEED certification for rehab work, and a presentation on applying LEED to Preservation Projects. Other sessions will consider topics like preservation tax credit projects, smart growth strategies for village centers and downtowns, and the greening of heritage tourism.

The conference is a great opportunity to learn about new developments and to network with experts in the field of historic preservation, planning, and green design. The registration fee is $35, which includes morning coffee and snack, lunch, and the closing reception. For more information about the conference, please visit the RI Historical Preservation & Heritage Commission website. The postmark deadline for registration by mail is April 6; after that, attendees can register on site on April 14.