In Marblehead, where centuries-old homes line narrow streets, the tension between historic preservation and environmental sustainability is getting more attention.
The conflict was exemplified last November when Sally Thompson, a Front Street homeowner, lost her appeal to keep exterior electric heating and air conditioning equipment on her historic home. The Select Board sided with the Old and Historic Districts Commission’s order to relocate exterior heat and air conditioning units. Thompson countered the removal would cost upwards of $20,000 and that the energy-efficient electric heat pumps advanced Marblehead’s climate goals. But the OHDC and Select Board ultimately determined the visible equipment violated the district’s bylaws.
Now, Marblehead has been awarded a $25,000 grant from the Metropolitan Area Planning Council to develop guidelines for integrating clean energy solutions into its historic buildings. The town, known for its meticulously preserved 17th- and 18th-century architecture, is attempting to address the delicate balance between maintaining its heritage and meeting ambitious climate change goals.
“We want to make sure that we (have) consensus,” said Charles Hibbard, chair of the OHDC. “For something significant, such as if sustainable measures are going to be adopted by the town, we want to make sure that we have a voice.”
Marblehead’s Historic District, established in 1968, is home to around 200 pre-Revolutionary War houses. Bylaws enforced by the OHDC govern visible changes to these buildings, but as the town commits to achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2040, the need for renewable technologies has become apparent.
Some modernization efforts can conflict with preservation. Large-scale renovations, incompatible materials, solar panel installations, modern additions and energy-efficient windows all have the potential to alter the character and appearance of historic buildings.
“You can do things which are energy efficient, the right way and the wrong way,” said commission member Mariana Vaida. “When we tell them we don’t want to see the lighting or a big hunk of plastic on the side, it can perfectly well be done without them being exposed.”
The grant project, titled “Navigating the Nexus of Historic Preservation and Green Energy,” aims to address these challenges. Here are a few areas that could be discussed:
— Installing solar panels on historic rooftops can be challenging, such as mounting solar panels on historic slate or clay tile roofs or installing solar panels on rooftops with historic cupolas or finials.
— Replacing historic windows with energy-efficient ones can alter the character of a building, such as swapping out historic wooden double-hung windows for modern vinyl or aluminum ones or installing modern windows with a different profile or muntin pattern.
— Adding exterior insulation and finishing systems (EIFS) can impact the integrity of historic buildings, such as installing EIFS over historic brick or wood facades or using EIFS to fill in historic architectural details or ornamentation.
—- Installing air source heat pumps (mini-splits) on historic buildings can be challenging, such as mounting outdoor units on historic walls or facades or installing refrigerant lines or electrical connections that alter historic building exteriors.
MAPC will provide research and technical analysis to develop policy goals, set objectives and recommend actions for both energy efficiency measures and decarbonization efforts aligned with Marblehead’s goal of achieving net-zero emissions by 2040, Logan Casey, the town’s sustainability coordinator, told the Current.
“This is also a great chance for MAPC to bring in a lot of regional expertise that they have the knowledge of what other municipalities are doing with their historic conditions,” Casey noted. “The focus is to develop some practical and context-sensitive guidelines.”
Lindsay Randall, a regional humanities specialist at MAPC who will help lead the project, said historic preservation is a dynamic and ongoing process that evolves over time, allowing for change.
Randall said the project will help the town complete one of the actions included in the Marblehead Net-Zero Roadmap: Creating a “roadmap for the community to embrace clean energy solutions while respecting the town’s conservation goals and architectural heritage.”
Hibbard and his fellow commissioners look forward to a collaborative effort, working with Casey and the Green Marblehead Committee.
As Hibbard put it: “You can either be part of the conversation and part of shaping what will be the standard or the criteria, or you can wait and then be told.”
Casey anticipates the first draft guidelines to emerge in the fall or winter. To follow the project’s progress, visit: bit.ly/3UEIpzY.
