The Department of the Army manages some 12,000 historically significant buildings that are listed on the National Register of Historic Places, or are eligible for listing. These buildings are subject to the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA). There are approximately 52,000 additional buildings and structures in the Army inventory that are at least 50 years old and also subject to NHPA. Over the next 20 years, that number will almost double as Cold War-era buildings become subject to NHPA requirements.

The Army is addressing this management challenge through several means, including historic building economic analyses. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has developed a computer program that can be used to assess different options for facilities, including historic facilities - ECONPACK. Certainly more than economics should be taken into account when decisions about historic buildings are being made. Nevertheless, economics serve as a crucial starting point; they yield results that can be easily understood and compared. The software is available from the Army Corps.