Architecture & Engineering

TPS published new online guidance for Solar Panels on Historic Properties to showcase successful projects that have added solar energy systems to historic buildings, districts, and landscapes. The guidance will be updated with additional examples over time.

With a 2011 Grant from NCPTT, conservators at Georgia O’Keeffe’s Residences in Abiquiu and Ghost Ranch, New Mexico undertook research comaparing digital photogrammetric methods for preservation documentation of historic homes. They documented their project as they went along at http://okeeffeimagingproject.wordpress.com/. This project studied whether existing, three-dimensional (3D) digital photo imaging technologies could be easily adopted…

This poster was presented at the 3D Digital Documentation Summit held July 10-12, 2012 at the Presidio, San Fransisco, CA. See Poster full detail and size Recording Structure and Process: HAER 3D Digital Documentation Methods For many historic engineering works the structure’s historical significance is based on its structural design. This is especially true for…

This poster was presented at the 3D Digital Documentation Summit held July 10-12, 2012 at the Presidio, San Fransisco, CA. See Poster full detail and size Utilizing Digital Methods to Document and Reconstruct Old Sheldon Church The adoption of advanced technologies in the field of historic preservation has occurred at a much slower rate when…

This poster was presented at the 3D Digital Documentation Summit held July 10-12, 2012 at the Presidio, San Fransisco, CA. See Poster full detail and size Mind the Gap: the Need to Supplement Laser Scan Data in HABS Documentation Projects The HABS poster will discuss the use of laser scanning in relation to the documentation…

It’s more than just a job… it’s your future. Get hands-on experience and build your resume while preserving the history of our country. Summer internships at NCPTT provide students and recent graduates an opportunity to undertake laboratory or field research in archeology, architecture, engineering, collections management, historic landscapes, and materials science. What do interns do?…

Call for Papers for the 6th Volume of Preservation Education Research Making the Argument: Pedagogical Approaches to Interpreting a Broader Past Deadline for submission: February 15, 2013 Authors of accepted papers will be notified in April 2013 The editors of Preservation Education Research (PER) invite paper proposals on the theme of incorporating aspects of vernacular…

This lecture was presented at the 3D Digital Documentation Summit held July 10-12, 2012 at the Presidio, San Francisco, CA   Designing the LiDAR Mission for Industrial Heritage: Cooperation Across the Fields Heritage managers and digital documentarians may observe the same subject, but observe it through a contrasting set of filters. The focus of this…

The Federal Highway Administration's National Historic Covered Bridge Preservation Program (NHCBP) is sponsoring the Second National Historic Covered Bridge Conference in Dayton, Ohio, June 5-8, 2013. Co-sponsored by the National Park Service’s Historic American Engineering Record and the USDA Forest Service, Forest Products Laboratory, this event will feature presentations from some of the leading covered…

The National Center for Preservation Technology and Training in partnership with The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art and conservator Martin Burke announces a two day conference on the conservation of fountains. The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art in Kansas City, Missouri will host the conference which includes presented papers, poster presentations, and discussion sessions on July 10-11,…

The impact-echo method is a non-destructive evaluation method in which internal pressure waves are excited through the thickness of a plate-like structure. By reviewing the frequency content of the internal reflections of the wave, the wave velocity can be inferred, and internal flaws, voids, and delaminations can be detected by interruptions of the wave propagation

  This lecture was presented at the 3D Digital Documentation Summit held July 10-12, 2012 at the Presidio, San Francisco, CA Why DIGITAL? Its only 1's and 0's We still seem to be fighting the war over the value of digital information some 30 years after its introduction to the public. Developments in technology have…

Video in Production This lecture was presented at the 3D Digital Documentation Summit held July 10-12, 2012 at the Presidio, San Francisco, CA Archive of Digital Data for HABS, HAER, and HALS The NPS creates a variety of documents and records, such as inventory and monitoring plans, drawings, photographs, and conservation treatment records, to assist…

Lansing Community College has announced that it will be holding its annual Iron & Steel Preservation Conference (ISPC) on March 4-5, 2012. Last year’s conference was attended by a range of professions including architects, conservators, historians, and trades people. The conference is a hands-on experience that gives the people responsible for the restoration of historic bridges…

This presentation was presented as the keynote address for the 3D Digital Documentation Summit held July 10-12, 2012, Presidio, San Francisco, CA.   Rocket Science and 3D Analyses in the Preservation of Artistic and Historic Works More than sixty years ago development began on the nuclear-propelled ORION Spaceship destined for a manned mission to the…

If any substantial changes are planned to prepare a historic building for a disaster please refer to the Secretary of Interiors Standards for the Treatment of Historic Structures and check with all local and state authorities before making any changes. This article provides information on disaster preparedness in the face of floods, high winds, hurricanes,…

NCPTT has released updated Building and Site Condition Assessment forms and a database for use in documenting the devastating effects of natural disasters on historic properties. FEMA’s Environmental Planning and Historic Preservation Program are already putting these tools to good use to document effects of the April tornado outbreaks throughout Alabama.

Disasters can strike at anytime, sometimes with little or no warning. Experience has shown us that while natural disasters can leave a path of destruction there are also man-made disasters that can bring an area to its knees.Being informed and preparing for those that could affect you are key to saving your site, building and…

The National Center recently joined the Christman Company in supporting a Preservation Trades Network workshop to rebuild carriages for two reproduction 18 lb. Revolutionary War guns at Fort Sumter National Monument. The participants, mostly students from the American College of the Building Arts and the Savannah Technical College, began by reviewing historic plans and examining…

This lecture was presented at the 3D Digital Documentation Summit held July 10-12, 2012 at the Presidio, San Francisco, CA   Monitoring Using Laser Scanning - Case Study of Watts Towers This paper will explore the use of laser scanning as a part of a controlled survey to measure movement of buildings and structures over…

This lecture was presented at the 3D Digital Documentation Summit held July 10-12, 2012 at the Presidio, San Francisco, CA   Evolution in Project Workflow - Is High Definition Survey the Missing Link? There is a major shift occurring in the preservation and building industry today. It was only 30 years ago that architects and…

Retrofitting windows with high performance enhancements can result in substantial energy savings across a variety of climate zones. Selecting options that retain and retrofit existing windows are the most cost effective way to achieve these energy savings and to lower a home’s carbon footprint. Retrofits extend the life of existing windows, avoid production of new…

NCPTT is conducting a comparative study of commercially available window glazing compounds (also known as "window putty"). There are many different products on the market and, while we would like to include all of them, we must limit the study to the top six compounds. Help us determine the most commonly used glazing compounds by…

Two additional grants totaling $50,000 were made to the following recipients. The Tulalip Tribes Hibulb Cultural Center is receiving $25,000 to develop a symposium on the Conservation and Continuation of Native American Monumental Wood Carving. The California Preservation Foundation is receiving $25,000 to advance distance learning through the Preservation Virtual Classroom.

Download this episode as an mp3 or Subscribe via iTunes Today we join NCPTT’s Stacey Urlacher as she speaks with Tom Russack, Masonry Preservation Instructor at the Abyssinian Development Corporation Workforce Development Youthbuild Program in Harlem, New York City, and Project Associate at Rand Engineering and Architecture.  NCPTT awarded Mr. Russack a grant to compile…

The Environmental Design Research Association (EDRA) is hosting its 44th annual conference in Providence, Rhode Island, May 29-June 1, 2013 in partnership with the School of Architecture, Art and Historic Preservation at Roger Williams University. Presentation, session, and poster proposals are invited that address the intersection of environmental design and behavior and the built environment.…

The Federal Historic Preservation Tax Incentives Program encourages private sector investment in the rehabilitation and reuse of historic buildings, and is one of the nation's most successful and cost-effective community revitalization programs, the largest such program specifically supporting historic preservation.  Administered by the National Park Service's Technical Preservation Services (TPS) office and the Internal Revenue…

The George Wright Society strives to be the premier organization connecting people, places, knowledge, and ideas to foster excellence in natural and cultural resource management, research, protection, and interpretation in parks and equivalent reserves. GWS organizes biennial conferences to encourage dialogue and foster information exchange across all areas of conservation - both natural and cultural. There…

LEED has become an industry standard for demonstrating the “sustainability” of new construction and rehabilitation projects. While LEED is not the only rating system for buildings at this time it is the most widely used in the United States. NCPTT is offering this LEED preparation workshop to promote the joint consideration of sustainability and historic…

The Association for Preservation Technology International, with support from NCPTT, will hold another in its series of "hands-on" workshops held at the Taliesin estate of noted architect Frank Lloyd Wright in Spring Green, Wisconsin.

Hi, I’m Bernie Weisgerber, and I’ve got an axe to grind. Today, we’re going to look at axes, but first I want to show you around the ranger station. We’re here at the entrance to the historic Nine Mile Ranger Station. Now the US Forest Service still uses this facility as a working ranger station.…

Cultural Heritage Imaging (C-H-I) is offering a four-day workshop on the use of reflectance transformation imaging (RTI) to document cultural heritage.  The workshop will be held July 16-19, 2012 at the C-H-I offices in San Francisco, California.  The new technique helps create digital representations of artifacts and sites.  The workshop is a combination of lectures, demonstrations…

In the Northern Rockies, at least 800 old cabins, fire lookouts, and ranger stations still stand on federal and state public lands. These structures, nestled among fir trees and dotting the banks of creeks are of immense historic value and are irreplaceable. They were built by early forest and park rangers, homesteaders, and ranchers, who…

July 10-12, 2012 at the Presidio of San Francisco, California NCPTT in conjunction with the Presidio Trust and the Friends of NCPTT will host a three day summit on digital documentation for the preservation of cultural heritage. The program features two days of contributed papers and a poster session, followed by a third day of…

In 1889, two forest rangers, Than Wilkerson and Hank Tuttle, had just landed themselves the job of patrolling the newly established forest reserve in western Montana’s Bitterroot Valley. With only skimpy provisions and not so much as a horse to travel on, Wilkerson and Tuttle found themselves employed, but homeless. So they set themselves about…

Location: Tremont House, 2300 Ship’s Mechanic Row, Galveston, TX When: April 12-13th, 2012 Registration Fee: $50 Website: http://www.galvestonhistory.org/castiron Galveston’s 12-block Strand/Mechanic National Historic Landmark District contains one of the largest collections of historic cast-iron commercial buildings in the country. In the aftermath of Hurricane Ike, the City of Galveston received a federal grant to rehabilitate…

The Heritage Documentation Programs of the National Park Service seeks applications from qualified students for summer employment documenting historic sites and structures of architectural, engineering, and landscape significance throughout the country.  Duties involve on-site field work and the preparation of measured and interpretive drawings and written historical records for HABS/HAER/HALS Collection at the Prints and…

In preparation for its approaching 100th anniversary in 2016, the National Park Service (NPS) has published A Call to Action: Preparing for a Second Century of Stewardship and Engagement to help chart a path for our second hundred years. As we look to establish priorities and focus our efforts on areas likely to have the…

The School of Engineering at the University of Vermont (UVM) has been exploring the addition of heritage preservation engineering modules to its existing curriculum. NCPTT and the Getty Conservation Institute hosted a colloquium in June 2009 to identify curricular additions for a program focused on the engineering evaluation and remediation of heritage structures. The colloquium…

This textbook has been developed as a primer and practical teaching manual for young people interested in construction, masonry preservation, green technology, building repair and the conservation of the urban environment. Each chapter is built around a particular masonry material, such as mortar, brick, stone, or stucco; or an aspect pertaining to the masonry trade,…

The Breaking the Virtual Barrier project provided a unique opportunity for Jefferson Community and Technical College to advance the knowledge base in providing instruction in the construction trades. The project provided the opportunity to expand an existing partnership with the Dry Stone Conservancy and pilot unique ways to use emerging technology to provide instruction in…

The existing method for repairing the viga ends is irreversible and requires large quantities of specially formulated epoxy resin which is difficult to control and cannot be renewed without further damage to the historic fabric. The new methodology eliminates the use of any chemicals and decreases repair time by up to 75 percent.

A recent NCPTT grant assisted a team from Princeton University's Civil and Environmental Engineering Department to propose an approach on controlling salt damage. The goal of the project was to create a method for protecting stone from crystallizing salts by modifying the surface chemistry of the stone. Although frost and acid rain are more familiar…

We want to hear from you! NCPTT is looking for your input to develop a prioritized list of topics that would help focus sustainability related research efforts across the preservation community.

Download this episode as an mp3 or Subscribe via iTunes Welcome to the Preservation Technology Podcast; the show that brings you the people and projects that are advancing the future of America’s heritage.  I’m Kevin Ammons with the National Park Service’s National Center for Preservation Technology and Training.  Today we join NCPTT’s Jeff Guin as…

We are looking for proposals which develop new technologies or adapt existing technologies to preserve cultural resources. Call for Proposals (Details of the grants program) Optional Pre-Proposal (Due October 1, 2011) Submit Grant Proposal (Due October 17, 2011)

NCPTT partnered with CARI to determine the durability of traditional and modified limewash recipes. CARI wanted to identify a lasting, low-cost limewash that was applied in approximately three layers and would last three to five years. Quality Finish, a local paint contractor, joined the project to ensure that limewash could be applied by local craftsmen…

The newly created Natchitoches Parish African American Cultural Heritage Initiative (NPAACHI) is working to develop sustainable communities in Natchitoches Parish, La., that serve as heritage destinations and improve the quality of life for residents. The National Center for Preservation Technology & Training, which is headquartered in Natchitoches, is sponsoring the initial research and documentation for…

Technical Preservation Services of the National Park Service has released a set of illustrated guidelines to help improve the energy efficiency of historic buildings while preserving their historic character. The Illustrated Guidelines on Sustainability for Rehabilitating Historic Buildings offer practical advice to building owners, developers, and preservation practitioners, showing recommended – and not recommended –…

  Welcome to the Preservation Technology Podcast, the show that brings you the people and projects that are advancing the future of America’s heritage. I’m Kevin Ammons with the National Park Service’s National Center for Preservation Technology and Training. In this edition of the podcast, we join NCPTT’s Andy Ferrell as he speaks with Patrick…

OPEN TO THE PUBLIC LEED has become an industry standard for demonstrating the "sustainability" of new construction and rehabilitation projects.  While LEED is not the only rating system for buildings at this time it is the most widely used in the United States.  The National Center for Preservation Technology and Training is offering LEED preparation workshops to promote the joint consideration of…

Download this episode as an mp3 or Subscribe via iTunesIn this edition of the Preservation Technology Podcast, we join Jeff Guin as he speaks with Aaron Lubeck, a speaker at the twelfth annual historic preservation symposium at Texas A&M University. Lubeck will talk about his presentation about "How we are --and are not-- adaptively reusing…

Cost: $125 Date: April 7 - 8, 2011 Location: New Orleans, LA; Louisiana Landmarks Society’s Pitot House Partner: Louisiana Landmarks Society Space is limited. To register, contact the Louisiana Landmarks Society at (504) 482.0312. This workshop was developed under a grant from the National Center for Preservation Technology and Training, a program of the National…

LEED has become an industry standard for demonstrating the “sustainability” of new construction and rehabilitation projects. While LEED is not the only rating system for buildings at this time it is the most widely used in the United States. The National Center for Preservation Technology and Training is offering this LEED preparation workshop to promote…

In the restoration of historic metal structures engineers and preservationists are often confronted with the decision to repair or replace historic metals. The Preservation of Historic Iron and Steel in Bridges and Other Metal Structures project demonstrated an alternative to the destruction of important elements of the historic fabric and addressed the urgent need for…

This video describes the work of preservation architect Gunny Harboe who has been named a 2010 Chicagoan of the Year by ChicagoMag.com. Harboe has been restoring some of Chicago's iconic buildings since being involved with the rehabilitation of the Rookery in 1992.

The University of Wisconsin at Madison recently wrapped-up a research project begun in 1910 to examine the long-term performance of concrete samples stored under different conditions. When Owen Withey, a professor of mechanics at the university, began his study at the turn of the last century there had been little scientific research of concrete and…

The Timber Framers Guild, a 501-C3 educational association, has registered and implemented a U.S. Department of Labor certified Apprenticeship Program. Timber framing is a multi-disciplinary carpentry trade and its many aspects will be taught as part of the Guild apprenticeship program. One segment of this broad based education covers both the living timber framed architectural…

Welcome to the Preservation Technology Podcast. The show that brings you the people and projects that are advancing the future of America's heritage. I’m Kevin Ammons with the National Park Service's National Center for Preservation Technology and Training. In this edition of the podcast, we join NCPTT’s Jeff Guin from the 2010 Association for Preservation…

ICCROM, in conjunction with the Canadian Conservation Institute and the Netherlands Institute for Cultural Heritage, will present a course on managing and reducing risks to cultural heritage. The course is designed for a maximum of 30 participants and is targeted to conservators, architects, archeologists, archivists, conservation scientists, collection managers, registrars, curators (in museums, archives, historic houses),…

The Association for Preservation Technology Northeast Chapter is sending out a call for presentations for the February 4, 2011 Annual Symposium to be held in Boston, Massachusetts. The topic that presentations are to address is The Use of Substitute Materials for Historic Preservation Projects. The Symposium would like to explore the decisions that are made…

The Association for Preservation Technology International has launched the Building Technology Heritage Library with support from NCPTT. The library provides free access to over one hundred period documents on building construction. APTI has taken the initiative to locate collections and develop cooperative agreements with collection owners to digitize and share materials through the Library contained…

The NCPTT 2010 Annual Report outlines research, training, and grant activities undertaken by the Center during FY2010. NCPTT advances the application of science and technology to historic preservation. Working in the fields of archeology, architecture, landscape architecture and materials conservation, the Center accomplishes its mission through training, education, research, technology transfer and partnerships.

NCPTT is sponsoring a workshop entitled APT Preservation Engineering Workshop: Non-Destructive Evaluation Methods for Historic Structures to be convened by the Association for Preservation Technology on Nov. 5-6, 2010 at the historic Presidio of San Francisco.

PennDesign’s Graduate Program in Historic Preservation and the Raymond Lemaire International Centre for Conservation at the University of Leuven are organizing an international conference on advanced digital methods for recording built heritage, titled “Heritage Recording and Information Management in the Digital Age (SMARTdoc)”, scheduled for 19-20 November 2010 on the University of Pennsylvania campus. This…

In this edition of the podcast, we join NCPTT’s Kim Martin as she speaks with Barry Stiefel, Professor in the Humanities and Social Sciences at the College of Charleston and Clemson University. Today they will discuss sustainability in preservation.

Historic preservation treats historic buildings in one of four ways: preservation, restoration, rehabilitation, or reconstruction. No matter which treatment you ultimately choose, you must first assess the condition of your historic structure. Condition assessments are a holistic approach to understanding how buildings were constructed, used, and maintained, and the various mechanisms that affect their structural…

In this edition of the podcast, we join NCPTT’s Jeff Guin as he speaks Aaron Lubeck, author of the book, Green Restorations. Today, they will discuss his book and how it connects the sustainability movement with historic preservation. Download this episode as an mp3 or subscribe via iTunes Guin: Aaron, welcome to the podcast. Lubeck: Thanks…

The effects of oil contamination on cultural resources will continue to be a challenge to the Gulf Coast region for years to come. NCPTT is meeting this challenge with technical research support for state and federal land managers, and for the public.

NCPTT, in partnership with Coastal Heritage Society and the Georgia State Historic Preservation Office,will offer a two-day workshop on restoring wood windows in Savannah, Ga., at the Roundhouse Museum Sept. 3-4, 2010.Please Note: The Wood Window Restoration Workshop has been canceled.

There are only a few seats left, so register quickly. Don't miss this exciting opportunity to learn traditional masonry conservation skills! This one-week workshop will include assessment of existing conditions, site preparation, removal of inappropriate mortar, cleaning of joints, filling joints neatly, and final dressing of joints. Learn these skills in a truly hands-on environment…

NCPTT has been working for a number of years investigating the relationship between historic preservation and sustainability. NCPTT is committed to collaborating with a wide variety of partners representing federal, state and local governments, nonprofit, research and educational organizations, and others to define and develop the role of historic preservation in safeguarding historic resources in…

In this edition of the podcast, we join NCPTT's Jason Church as he speaks with Moss Rudley, an exhibit specialist with the masonry division at the Historic Preservation Training Center. They will discuss the role of HTPC in the National Park Service including work they are doing with the historic building work bousillage. Download this…

In this episode of the Preservation Technology Podcast, Dennis Pogue, associate director at historic Mount Vernon, talks about the challenges of preserving a historic site with more than one million visitors each year. He also talks the archeology of the site and about the balancing act of maintaining historic artifacts in a structure that was…

In partnership with the University of Florida Preservation Institute: Nantucket, NCPTT will offer a one-week workshop on masonry conservation and traditional lime mortars in Nantucket, Massachusetts, August 1-7, 2010.  Participants will work with skilled and experienced masons to undertake the repair of an early-nineteenth-century structure associated with Nantucket's famed whaling industry.  The hands-on workshop will…

In this episode of the Preservation Technology Podcast, we join NCPTT’s Jason Church as he speaks with Vern Mesler, adjunct professor at Lansing Community College. They will discuss the "Preservation of Iron and Steel and Bridges and Other Metal Structures Workshop," which was funded by a grant from the National Center.

The Association for Preservation Technology, through the sponsorship of NCPTT, will offer a “hands-on” workshop entitled, An Interdisciplinary Approach To Preserving Wood in Historic Structures, at Frank Lloyd Wright's Taliesin home studio (May 23-25 in Spring Green, Wisconsin). The workshop will address: Interdisciplinary Teams and Preservation Philosophy Wood as a Building Material - Beyond the…

LEED has become an industry standard for demonstrating the "sustainability" of new construction and rehabilitation projects.  While LEED is not the only rating system for buildings at this time it is the most widely used in the United States.  The National Center for Preservation Technology and Training is offering this LEED preparation workshop to promote the joint consideration of sustainability and historic…

Lansing Community College in Lansing, Michigan,  will present a three-day workshop on March 8- 10, 2010 to introduce restoration processes of historic metals using electric arc welding, heat straightening, and hot riveting processes.  This workshop was funded in part through the PTT Grants program. Registration cost for one day is $125 or attend all three days…

NCPTT has internships available in the fields of historic architecture, materials conservation, and historic landscapes. Positions include 10-week historic architecture and materials conservation summer internships and a 6-month historic landscapes internship.

In this edition of the Preservation Technology Podcast we join NCPTT’s Jessica Cleaver as she speaks with Tracy Nelson, director of the Historic Building Recovery Grant Program, about sustainability and historic preservation. Download as an mp3 or subscribe via iTunes.

This grading protocol is a review of historical wood testing and standards development, wood condition assessment basics, and a query-based wood grading program. The goal of this protocol is to change the typical decision-making process by giving engineers and architects the means to better understand the grading of wood members in relation to building code…

For the past several years, NCPTT’s Architecture and Engineering program has been working to understand the potential impact of climate change on cultural resources and conversely, the impact of cultural resources on climate change. Working with a variety of partners, the National Center has promoted historic preservation as an important component of sustainable development. Conservation…

Today The Preservation Technology Podcast joins NCPTT’s Andy Ferrell, as he speaks with Tom Jones, an urban conservator for the West Ward Urban Ecology Project in eastern Pennsylvania. They will discuss the West Ward Ecology Project and something called the Green Design Laboratory. Download Episode 10 as an mp3 or subscribe via iTunes.

Lansing Community College in Lansing, Michigan, is presenting a three-day workshop on March 8, 9 and 10, 2010, to introduce a wide variety of interested personnel, including State Historic Preservation officers, Department of Transportation officials, engineers, engineering students, general contractors, and historic bridge preservationists, to restoration processes of historic metals using electric arc welding, heat…

This summer, NCPTT, the Tulane School of Architecture, the Preservation Trades Network, and Save Our Cemeteries hosted training on treatments for above ground cemeteries damaged during Hurricane Katrina.Topics included masonry applications, preservation technology, limewash, appropriate treatments for tombs, and a history of the cemeteries of New Orleans. This video was produced by Tulane University.

This CD-ROM course, BPR 140: Mechanical Systems, is designed to familiarize the student with the plumbing, electrical, heating, ventilating, air conditioning, and insulation systems in historic buildings. The department recognizes that each of these trades is a career in itself and that this course can't possibly teach you everything about these trades. What this course…

Planetizen is offering a webinar on preservation and sustainability tomorrow, July 30, 2009, at 11:00AM PDT/2PM EDT. This $49.95 course defines sustainable development as keeping what is "valuable by meeting our needs without prejudicing the ability of future generations to meet other own needs." This course shows how sustainability and historic preservation work hand-in-hand to…

NCPTT has completed the rewriting and editing of 12 Standard Treatments for the DOD.Sixteen additional treatments are under review, and DOD comments will be incorporated as they are received.This effort is directed at improving the technical content of the draft DOD treatment standards and the stewardship of DOD cultural resources.

NCPTT joined Tulane School of Architecture, Preservation Trades Network and Save our Cemeteries to host “Cities of the Dead: Above-Ground Cemetery Preservation, Conservation, Documentation Methodology and History,” July 13-31, in New Orleans, La.

Today Andy Ferrell speaks with Nancy Finegood, executive director of the Michigan Historic Preservation Network. NCPTT recently published online a guide titled "Introducing Preservation Trades to High School Students" which grew out of via work with Detroit's Randolph's Career and Technical Center. Download Episode 6 as an mp3 or subscribe via iTunes.

Save the Date for IPTW-ITES 2009 from August 25-29, 2009 in Leadville, Colorado. The 13th annual International Preservation Trades Workshop will be held by the Preservation Trades Network in partnership with the Colorado Mountain College Historic Preservation program. Sponsored in part by NCPTT.If you're interested in sharing your skills and knowledge as a "hands on"…

This past November the Friends of NCPTT and the National Trust for Historic Preservation convened a small group of experts to discuss historic preservation and environmental sustainability.After two days of intense discussions, the group developed the core of the Pocantico Proclamation on Sustainability and Historic Preservation. While a good starting point to further discussion on…

The National Center for Preservation Technology and Training (NCPTT) in partnership with Save Our Cemeteries, Inc. (SOC) will be holding a Limewash Workshop on June 13, 2009 in New Orleans, Louisiana.

Transcript and show notes for the Preservation Technology Podcast, Episode 3: Rapid Documentation of Historic Resources with Barrett Kennedy. Download Episode 3 as an mp3 or subscribe via iTunes.

Preservation Institute: Nantucket (PI:N) is an interdisciplinary program that exposes participants to the theories and methodologies of international cultural heritage conservation and the research, documentation, and management of current and potential World Heritage sites. Kirk Cordell and Andrew Ferrell of NCPTT will be guest lecturing at the Preservation Institute: Nantucket.

The registration deadline for this workshop is April 24, 2009. The workshop will provide guidance for professionals and students in the use of diagnostic nondestructive testing for historic structures. It is intended for technically oriented graduates and practicing engineers, architects, preservation consultants, and contractors who are not familiar with this subject area.

The Conservation Center for Art and Historic Artifacts (CCAHA) developed the Architectural Records Symposium: Managing and Preserving Design Records to improve practices for preserving and providing access to architectural records in museums, archives, libraries, and historic sites throughout the country.

This video shows how to build small drystone retaining walls from beginning to end; laying out the shape, digging the foundation, determining the wall angle, building the face, packing the back, and leveling the top.

Dr. George Skarmeas will speak on the topic of preservation and sustainability with case studies on Tuesday, March 10, 2009, at 5:00PM at LSU, Baton Rouge, Design Building Auditorium, Room 103.

Limewash is enjoying renewed interest as a protectant for historic structures, thanks in part to research undertaken by NCPTT and its partners.

he main objective of this research project is to better understand the failure strength and the modes of failure of different types of mechanical anchor systems in stone masonry.

The ATC and SEI Conference Program Committee is currently accepting abstracts for individual presentations and proposals for complete sessions. Submission will be accepted until February 27, 2009.

Organized by ATC and SEI of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), this conference is dedicated to improving the seismic performance of existing buildings and other structures.

This six minute video explains how to prepare and apply limewash.

A fast, easy and low-cost approach for high school instructors, preservation trade practitioners and preservation organizations to introduce preservation trades in technical high schools.

NCPTT's Andrew Ferrell recently completed a detail in Texas to assist FEMA with recovery efforts related to Hurricane Ike.

NCPTT's Architecture and Engineering program will hold a workshop exploring adaptations in design in Louisiana's historic Gulf Coast architecture and their application in sustainable renovation on November 20-21 in Lafayette, Louisiana.

NCPTT workshop examines environmental adaptation in the built environment

The Kate Chopin House, named for the legendary feminist writer who lived there during the 1880s, burned to the ground in an early morning fire today.

Boston University produced this training video to raise awareness of fire risks to cultural properties and to provide technical information about fire detection and suppression systems including sprinklers, gaseous agents, and water mist.

This document outlines the Maryland State Historic Preservation Office’s efforts to computerize hard-copy records of historic buildings and districts in Maryland to make these documents more accessible.

Working in collaboration with the International Union of Bricklayers and Allied Craftsmen, RESTORE developed a prototype workshop on health and environmental hazards inherent in conservation materials and processes.

Older and historic schools represent an unrecognized asset for school districts.

This video documents the repair of damaged drystone walls in the popular Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historic Park.

This guide is intended for use by public works managers who find themselves encountering the world of historic preservation.

The goal of this project was to disseminate advanced information on historic preservation documentation and assessment utilizing the most “cutting edge” technology available.

On the cover, hand raising with pike poles at Malabar Farm, Malabar Farm State Park, Mansfield, Ohio, 1994. The heavy strapping fastened across the bent will act as jibs for tackle used later to raise the purlin and wall plates.

On the cover, view of a well-preserved street in Rouen, a town visited by several Guild members following a guided tour of timber-framed buildings in northeastern France. Note trussed wall framing over broad shop windows, slate siding on buildings at the center of the view and the exuberant multiplicity of bracing patterns.

In this issue: Timber Framing for Beginners, When Roofs Collide, Historic American Roof Trusses, Queen Post Trusses, Framing the Montbello Pavilion.

On the cover, view of the cedar roof trusses at the monastery of St. Catherine’s at Mt. Sinai, Egypt, built between 548 and 565 to commemorate the supposed site of the miracle of the burning bush.

Herein, basic Conservation and Preservation concepts would be pragmatically explained and illustrated, utilizing, for acclaratory purposes, case studies of preservation projects in Puerto Rico and the Caribbean.

Careful examination of the photo reveals the presence of the large Y-shaped iron yoke typically used by Robert Smith at the junction of the kingpost with the collar beam and hammer beams.

Inspired by English design largely from the Welsh Marches, though not exclusively so, the frame was cut by English scribe rule and raised piece by piece using gin pole, shear legs and tackle.

The pre-fabricated, all-steel Lustron Home was a unique solution to the post- World War II housing crisis.

The stiffening effect of existing features on historic truss bridges was examined. 3D analytical models as traditional skeleton structures were compared to models that included the bridge decks.

US/ICOMOS seeks abstracts that discuss innovative, successful programs and partnerships involving collaboration in international preservation within three broad areas.

The video is a primary training resource, providing graphic instruction on how to repair, rebuild and relocate stone walls and rock fences.

This manual teaches communities and neighborhoods how to complete their own historic resource surveys and share that information quickly.

More than $165,000 will fund research to protect America’s historic legacy as part of the National Center for Preservation Technology & Training’s PTT Grants program.

The American Academy in Rome invites applications for the Rome Prize competition. The Academy offers up to thirty fellowships for periods ranging from six months to two years.

Sarah Jackson and Andy Ferrell visited the Magnolia unit of Cane River Creole National Historic Park to investigate possibly using the slave/tenant farmer cabins at Magnolia Plantation for a limewash training workshop and video production.

NCPTT partnered with the Association for Preservation Technology International to plan and present a workshop on Nondestructive Evaluation Methods for Historic Structures that was held May 16-17 in Charleston, S.C.

This report is an executive summary of testing undertaken by NCPTT in partnership with the Cane River Creole National Historical Park (CARI) and Quality Finish.

Andy Ferrell participated in a panel discussion on "The Future of Preservation" on April 26 at the Louisiana Preservation Conference in Thibodaux, La.

The study tested a variety of limewash recipes for possible use on historic structures located in the Cane River Creole National Historical Park, located in central Louisiana.

One of the biggest problems facing historic preservation currently is the dearth of qualified tradespeople to restore and maintain the nation's historic buildings. As a result, NCPTT has been working with partners to develop and implement a framework for facilitating traditional trades training in high schools.

NCPTT's Andy Ferrell and Christine Faith recently participated in a Preservation Trades High School Curriculum Summit.

NCPTT hosted a MayDay Event "Preparing You for the Next Disaster" in Natchitoches, La.

NCPTT partnered with the Historic Preservation Training Center, the Cultural Resources Division of the Southeast Regional Office of NPS and Fort Sumter National Monument to facilitate a workshop on preserving coastal forts April 8-10 at the Fort Sumter National Monument in Fort Moultrie, S.C.

Fort Sumter National Monument hosted over 75 participants from more than fifteen National and State parks at the Preserving Coastal Forts: a National Park Service (NPS) Workshop held April 8-10, 2008 in Charleston, South Carolina. Park Superintendents, Cultural Resource and Facility Managers, Architects and Engineers, Masons and Maintenance Mechanics, contractors and partners attended.

NCPTT’s Andy Ferrell chaired the session “Sustainable Preservation” at Colorado Preservation Inc.’s 2008 Saving Places Conference.

Digital Technology Integration: San Antonio Riverwalk Documentation Pilot Project. A team of architecture students from the College of Architecture at Texas Tech University led by Professors John P. White and Gary W. Smith completed HALS documentation of the Arneson Theatre using a 3D laser scanner and AutoCad.

Students will analyze photographs of historic buildings, categorize them according to similar characteristics, and identify their various architectural styles.

NCPTT’s Andy Ferrell recently participated in the first Louisiana Flood Protection and Ecosystem Restoration Professional Development Program.

Kirk Cordell and Andy Ferrell participated in planning for "Preserving Coastal Forts: An NPS Workshop" that is scheduled April 8-10, 2008, in Charleston, South Carolina.

APT and NCPTT partnered to present nondestructive evaluation methods for historic structures. The workshop provided guidance for professionals and students in the use of diagnostic nondestructive testing for historic structures. It was intended for technically oriented graduate and practicing engineers, architects, preservation consultants, and contractors who are not familiar with this subject area.

The assessment of unreinforced masonry structures is difficult to undertake in practice.

Andy Ferrell participated in the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s Sustainable Preservation Research Retreat.

As a result of NCPTT’s limewash study, Sarah Jackson has been in demand to present her research as well as hands-on demonstrations using traditional limewash.

Andy Ferrell of NCPTT, Deidre McCarthy of NPS Cultural Resources GIS and Barrett Kennedy of the LSU School of Architecture presented "Emerging Survey Tools: Not the Same Old Cultural Resource Survey" at the 2007 National Trust for Historic Preservation Conference.

Sarah Jackson of NCPTT presented "Limewash: the Other White 'Paint'" at the 2007 International Preservation Trades Workshop in Frederick, Maryland.

NCPTT’s Sarah Jackson was featured in the Spring 2007 issue of Traditional Masonry Magazine (Volume 2, Issue 2).

Sarah Jackson represented NCPTT at the Casey Farms workshop, a Preservation Trades Network regional workshop.

NCPTT’s Sarah Jackson and Andy Ferrell attended the AIA’s annual conference in San Antonio.

90% of every construction dollar is spent on older buildings, because of this we believe that it is important to improve the nation’s built environment by rehabilitating and maintaining existing structures.

The initial version of the courses was offered as a 2-day workshop at the 2003 Association for Preservation Technology International Conference in Portland, Maine. In June 2004, the courses were expanded and offered in Natchitoches, LA as part of the NCPTT’s first Summer Institute.

The NCPTT partnered with Michael Henry, PE, AIA, and Sam Harris, PE, RA, JD to develop 4 course modules.

Architecture and Engineering is always seeking out partnerships to aid us in progressing our mission of expanding and disseminating knowledge about preservation of historic structures.

The experience in the aftermath of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita underscored the limitations in current approaches for documenting and assessing heritage resources in a postdisaster context.

Historic buildings are valued as cultural artifacts that tell us important information about the past. Historic buildings, almost by definition, predate modern construction standards.

On May 23, NCPTT’s Architecture and Engineering program partnered with Barrett Kennedy of LSU College of Art and Design to document Front Street in Natchitoches, Louisiana, using a high-resolution digital camera. The City provided a hi-lift and a mobile traffic barrier.

Architectural records are vital documentation of our built environment and provide insight into social and economic trends throughout history

With the historic preservation expertise of the NCPTT and the proximity of the Center to the Gulf Coast, the Center was involved in the cultural resource response to Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.

The basic framework for the Lustron website is completed, the content management system for the website has been completed, and much of the text for the content of the website has been produced.

Will Beemer, of the Timber Framers Guild, had an article on his NCPTT sponsored work published in the Journal of the Timber Framers Guild 83:18 27.

Educators may find the following resources useful in teaching heritage education in the classroom.

A report on NCPTT’s research, entitled "Durability of Traditional and Modified Limewashes," by Sarah M. Jackson and Mary F. Striegel, has been accepted by the APT Bulletin for publication in its Summer 2007 issue.

Developing this technology will enable planners and others to better assess risks to historic resources, plan effective mitigation strategies, and improve disaster response.

NCPTT’s Architecture and Engineering personnel completed a draft Fiscal Year 2007 cooperative agreement with US/ICOMOS.

Sarah Jackson participated in the Greening of Historic Properties National Summit in Pittsburgh.

NCPTT’s Architecture and Engineering program took part in the recent International Preservation Trades Workshops in New Orleans.

NCPTT's Architecture and Engineering program has entered a cooperative agreement with the New Jersey Institute of Technology to implement a teacher and administrator training to show how to replicate the High School for the Preservation Arts in Brooklyn.

Results are available on the durability of traditional and modified limewashes tested by NCPTT.

Andy Ferrell once again represented NCPTT at Saving Places 2006, the annual conference of Colorado Preservation, Inc.

Each summer, the Center hosts its Summer Institute to provide training opportunities to those interested in the various fields of historic preservation. This summer marks the third annual Summer Institute which offers the following training programs.

NCPTT’s Sarah Jackson was featured in the November 2006 issue of Preservation in Print for a recent limewash demonstration.

Investigators from the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art undertook this project to determine if worn-off or illegible hallmarks on silver and gold works of art could be imaged using scanning acoustic imaging techniques.

The focus of this project was to investigate test methods for determining water vapor transmission (WVT) rates in mortar and to assign appropriate WVT rates for specific hydraulic and non-hydraulic restoration mortars.

The six chapters that follow discuss and illustrate the joints in American traditional timber-framed buildings of the past, showing common examples with variations as well as a few interesting regional deviations.

This publication studies three monitoring systems and efforts to eliminate termites at San Cristobal and El Morro of the San Juan National Historical Site in Puerto Rico.

In 2003, the Infrared and Raman Users Group received NCPTT support to develop and implement an online collaborative database and bibliography of high quality infrared reference spectra. Currently, the database contains over 1250 spectra of oils, waxes, natural and synthetic resins, dyes, pigments, proteins, gums, and minerals.

This document features a comprehensive historic building code, the first of its kind in the nation.

This material provides guidance for a successful presentation of the course. The guide is organized, along with the Training Manual, in the order of the presentation of the material. The course is designed to be presented over the course of two days.The course material is presented in three formats: Class presentation - a classroom lecture…

Termites are a significant structural pest in the United States, costing the public nearly $1.5 billion in damage each year.

This report presents a review of the literature followed by recommendations based on best practices for the analysis of historic cement-based materials. The report is geared towards the practicing analyst.

NPS designers produced significant works of Landscape Architecture that were simultaneously influenced by the scheme's evolving form and the emerging native features of the landscape.

In 2000, the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency (IHPA) published an NCPTT funded training manual on the subject of lead paint and historic buildings.

Soiling of limestone caused by air pollution has been studied at the Cathedral of Learning on the University of Pittsburgh campus. The Cathedral was constructed in the 1930s during a period of heavy pollution in Pittsburgh, PA.

Infestation by the eastern subterranean termite, Reticulitermes flavipes (Kollar), was found throughout the two ground floors of the pedestal of the Statue of Liberty National Monument.

Documentation is central to every preservation project whether it involves recording the presence of a structure about to be lost or preparing evidence for restoring or maintaining existing structures.

The Information Clearinghouse is comprised of over 7,000 resources on the care and active use of older and historic religious properties culled from a wide variety of sources nationally. Much of the collection features resources which are unavailable elsewhere.

The objective of this study was to develop a test method to measure the hardness of masonry mortars with a pendulum hammer.

The difficulty of imposing building and fire codes on historic buildings has been a subject of wide spread concern in recent decades.

NAPAP researchers exposed limestone and marble briquettes to weathering for months to years at several different sites. They sampled the briquettes and analyzed multiple layers for anion content.

The Preservation Economic Impact Model 2.0 software allows for the calculation of the total economic effects of historic preservation; these encompass both the direct and multiplier effects.

A study was undertaken to determine the feasibility of renovating and upgrading an original condition window to the extent that its thermal performance would be equivalent to a window using replacement sash or window inserts.

The NFPA Fire Safety Evaluation System (FSES) provides a multiattribute approach to evaluating fire safety performance.

Visual inspection of the Chapel indicated that lateral movements, meteoric and ground water, and soluble salts are the main causes of deterioration of the Chapel's facade and walls.

During rehabilitation of historic buildings, the question of how to treat the windows is inevitably raised. Within the decision-making process for deciding to replace or renovate an existing window, energy consideration should not be the primary criteria, but should not be ignored.

Late nineteenth and early twentieth century sites are commonly encountered during archaeological surveys in the United States.

The economic impacts of regional emissions reductions on facilities and materials is difficult to assess. This report documents two approaches to doing for painted steel bridges.

Air pollution has been responsible for increasing the rate of deterioration of many historically and culturally valuable monuments.