Sustainable Features of Old Homes

While not everyone is interested in living in an older home, many people seek out these gems because of their character and charm. A quaint bungalow or imposing colonial revival are just a few of the styles popular before WWII that stand out from the way we design today. Not only are older homes unique because of their design elements, they also have many inherently sustainable features that have also been removed from the design of the modern home.

Inherently sustainable features are elements of a building that because of their design, material, or operation lower their impact on the environment. Homes built before WWII relied on these types of features because inventions like air conditioning were not widely available. As a result, they lessen the amount of electricity needed to power the home which is not only a net positive for the environment, but a household budget as well.

High Ceilings

Old homes often have high ceilings which allow for greater air flow and when combined with tall windows more natural daylight. It's common for an average home to have nine foot ceilings, but more grand homes would have 10 to 14 foot ceilings. Today, the addition of vents near the ceilings help to cool the space more efficiently. Ironically, homes built during the energy crisis of the 1970s and 1980s lowered the ceiling heights to eight feet to reduce the amount of space needed to cool the home, rather than take advantage of older passive methods of cooling that used no energy at all.

Windows

When looking at an older home you may notice not only are the windows larger, their tends to be more of them. For example, modern homes avoid adding windows to bathrooms, however this removes the opportunity for natural daylight into the space, a feature older homes never overlooked. In more prominent spaces the windows were often taller to allow more daylight deeper into the rooms. Using more daylight equates to turning your lights on less and lowering your electric bill.

Many historic homes have lovingly restored wood windows, a feature that should never be replaced with modern vinyl inserts. This is because wood windows are made with old growth wood that endures with a proper restoration, whereas modern replacements will have to be replaced within 20-30 years, driving up the cost of maintenance over the life of the home. A good wood window can last over 100 years if maintained. Additions of interior or exterior storm windows can help protect the wood window and cut down on required maintenance.

Another feature rarely seen today are double sash wood windows with both sashes, upper and lower, operable. Many homes have double sashes (a sash is just movable part of the window), but usually the top sash has been fixed into place as air conditioning became common and its operability was no longer needed. Before however, on a hot day both the top and bottom sash would be open, allowing cool air to circulate into the room through the bottom and hot air to rise up towards the ceiling and out the top sash.

Overhangs and Eaves

Bungalows and craftsman style homes have a common character defining feature—deep overhangs and eaves, often with brackets beneath. These home styles were most popular in the 1920s and 1930s during the prairie movement, but have seen a resurgence in recent years as a trendy house type. The defining eaves and overhangs today are primarily stylish, but the older homes of the early 20th century were made to function. The extended overhangs and eaves help to reduce heat loads, blocking sunlight from shining directly into the home during the hottest parts of the day.

Awnings and Porches

Porches were important elements to provide a cool and shady space for homeowners to enjoy, but also helped to reduce the heating loads on the home by blocking the sun from the front rooms. Today, many of these porches have been enclosed as part of the home, removing the additional barrier from the elements on the front rooms. It is to your advantage to keep your porch open as both a nice place to spend a summer evening and a way to lower your electric bill in the summer.

Awnings were once popular additions to homes that offered protection from direct sunlight. If seen today on older homes, they are often on the second floor, helping reduce heat in bedroom spaces. New homes rarely have awnings and if added, are intended as a design element more than a way to reduce sun exposure.

Shutters

Nearly every neighborhood has at least one home with shutters fixed to the walls on either side of the windows. This use of shutters is a purely decorative feature that provides some visual interest on an otherwise blank wall. Modern homes lack many of the features of older homes that provide character (eaves with brackets, stone window sills and headers, wood molding). Therefore, what was once a functional element has been turned into a decoration to compensate for large blank walls. Before they became decorative, shutters were operable features of a home that could be pulled shut to protect against storms or to block sunlight into a room while allowing in air to help cool the space naturally.

Tree Lined Streets

While not a feature of older homes specifically, nearly all old homes are on streets lined with large, old trees. While a charming effect for a neighborhood, the established trees provide protection to the homes they tower over. The trees lower the heating loads of the homes significantly, reducing the energy consumption required to cool the homes in the summer. So think twice if you are deciding to cut down an older tree in your yard, you may just see the impact on your next electric bill.

 So whether you currently live in an old home or are thinking of buying one, know that it comes with a host of features that will reduce its impact on the environment and your wallet if properly used and preserved. You have the opportunity to reduce your energy demand and enhance your homes ability to respond to its climate by keeping the above features in mind.