The 1772 Foundation's CARE Tool

Charleston’s commitment to preserving its historic buildings could benefit significantly from integrating climate resilience insights provided by The 1772 Foundation’s Climate Action Summit during the recent National Trust for Historic Preservation Conference in New Orleans.

The 1772 Foundation presented the CARE tool, which is the Carbon Avoided Retrofit Estimator. This tool showcases the environmental benefits of rehabilitation with the addition of modern sustainability strategies, compared to new energy-efficient construction. According to their studies, rehabbing an older building has 50 to 75% less carbon emissions than new construction. New buildings require 10 to 80 years to offset the carbon emissions created during construction.

Preserving old buildings is proactive climate action because rehabilitation provides a direct solution to reducing carbon emissions and other environmental impacts. This tool allows historic cities, like Charleston, to make data-driven decisions that align preservation and climate goals.

Rehabbing our historic buildings is the best solution to reducing construction related impacts to the environment because the greenest building is the one already built. Rehabilitation combined with sustainability methods makes them even greener and preserves both architectural and cultural heritage.

Link to the tool:  CARE Tool | Carbon Avoided: Retrofit Estimator

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