Solar photovoltaic panels for ancient buildings

Should solar panels be installed on historic buildings?

High costs of energy combined with the incentives and rebates for solar installations and historic building rehabilitations, along with legislation and the need for energy security, are all drivers for considering installation of solar projects on historic properties.

Can solar PV be used on historic properties?

Perhaps most relevant to the implementation of solar PV on historic properties is preservation at the local level. Preservation ordinances establish historic preservation commissions that provide either an advisory or regulatory role.

Can solar projects be implemented on historic buildings & in historic districts?

As a part of this program, DOE identified the implementation of solar projects on historic properties and in historic districts as one area to address. A workshop titled “Implementing Solar Projects on Historic Buildings and in Historic Districts” was held in Denver, Colorado, in June of 2010.

How do historic preservation and solar PV work together?

Historic preservation can be assessed based on impacts to the historic character of the site, economics, and energy savings. Ultimately, historic preservation and solar PV work toward achieving a shared objective: resource conservation. Educating key stakeholders and tracking project implementation is imperative to achieving success.

Which approach is best for integrating solar projects into historic buildings?

Based on feedback and dialogue during the June 2010 workshop, and based on the definitions of the four treatments, rehabilitation is generally the most appropriate approach for integrating solar projects onto historic buildings or into historic districts.

Can solar technologies be integrated in the historic built environment?

The paper aims at identifying clear and verifiable criteria for integrating solar technologies in the historic built environment, through a deeper comparison of guidelines valid at national or local level developed in different geographical contexts (Phase 1, section 3).