28th Annual Historic Preservation Conference
May 8-10, 2008 Dearborn Inn, Dearborn, Michigan

Preserving History, Conserving Energy

“The greenest building is one that already has been built” - Carl Elefante, AIA, LEED AP

The 28th Annual Statewide Preservation Conference of the Michigan Historic Preservation Network (MHPN) will be held Thursday – Saturday, May 8-10, 2008 in Dearborn, Michigan. The conference will be headquartered at the 1931 Georgian style, Dearborn Inn, Dearborn, Michigan. Designed by Albert Kahn and constructed for Henry Ford, the property was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1982.

The conference theme, "Preserving History, Conserving Energy,” will be explored in lectures, hands-on workshops, and tours. On Thursday and Friday, four concurrent tracks will focus on “green” restoration and its application in neighborhoods, commercial districts, rural settings, and metro areas. As Pamela H. O’Connor, MHPN President, notes, “energy conservation, green building and restoration as well as sustainability are global concerns, and we are all called upon to do our part.”

The first of four concurrent tracks, Track One, “Our Theme, Preserving History, Conserving Energy,” will appeal to community officials, government staff, private business owners, preservation professionals, and individuals who want to know more about initiatives around the state where green design and sustainable development are fully engaged. Sessions in this Track include topics such as sustaining residential neighborhood integrity, economic and environmental benefits of going green, sustainable collaborations on a metropolitan scale, and making your downtown historic district green.

Track Two, “The Basics: Useful Tools for Going Green” will appeal to those seeking to learn more about the methods and best practices of historic preservation, including strategies such as tax incentives, and the economic benefits of historic preservation as a smart choice. Among the sessions planned for this Track are Green Design is Good Design; National Register Designation, Aiding Sustainability; Finding Seed Money; and an introduction to MHPN’s Easement program.

In Track Three, is the popular “Historic Resource Council: Hands-On Applications.” In this Track attendees, including individual property owners and professionals doing hands-on work with historic buildings, will learn more about the LEED Green Building Rating System and its related Existing Buildings Rating System. Among the exciting sessions for this Track are an off-site visit to The Ford Estate: Fair Lane’s Power Plant and Waterworks; Masonry Issues and Energy Audit Case Study (using Fair Lane as the Lab); a session on the “Randolph School: Training the Next Generation of Preservation Craftspeople;” and a special session to be held at the Ford World Headquarters.

“Tours, Sustainability in SE Michigan,” is the title of conference Track Four. This dynamic group of tours provides participants a close-up view of our host community and its region, and the interesting features that define it. Among the tour destinations are the historic sites of East and West Dearborn; a number of the local houses of worship, and a special look at the role of the River Rouge in “Ripples Along the Rouge: A Study of Connectivity.”

For the 28th Annual Conference, MHPN has added a series of special sessions on Saturday, May 10th. Included in these sessions are the MotorCities Summit, sponsored by the MotorCities National Heritage Area and the 20th Anniversary Program for the Michigan Alliance for the Conservation of Cultural Heritage which will include sessions on protecting paper-based collections and an Emergency Preparedness Planning workshop. Additionally, sessions of interest to those involved in local historic preservation efforts will include the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation; an Overview of Michigan’s Local Historic District Act PA 169; and the Role of the Historic District Commission. Finally, the popular session, Simple Solutions for Your Old House Questions, will be reprised from Friday afternoon.

In addition to the formal sessions of the concurrent tracks, MHPN is pleased to announce that Annette Conti, Executive Director, Historic Chicago Bungalow Association (HCBA), will present our keynote address, “Green Home Strategies for Sustainable Communities.” Using education and outreach, Ms. Conti and the HCBA have worked to develop a successful strategy of encouraging bungalow owners to understand the links between sustainability and conservation while maintaining the historical integrity of their homes. A review of some successful bungalow renovation projects reveals that historic preservation and sustainable renovations can-and must- succeed together.

Evening events are also planned for conference participants. On Thursday, May 8, attendees are invited to visit the Community Open House and Vendors Showcase while making their last minute bids at the Silent Auction or shopping the MHPN Marketplace. Following the Open House, attendees are encouraged to join the self-guided Ford Homes Candlelight Tour. The Henry and Clara Ford Estate-Fair Lane, is the very special setting Friday, May 9, for the MHPN Annual Awards Reception and Ceremony.

The Michigan Historic Preservation Network is the Michigan statewide preservation organization. For over a quarter of a century it has been Michigan's foremost advocacy and resource group. It brings together preservationists from a variety of backgrounds and provides support and resources throughout the state.

To learn about the “Preserving History, Conserving Energy” conference, find out which sessions will qualify for AICP credit, or learn which can be attended as single ticketed sessions, download a copy of the brochure at www.mhpn.org or request a brochure by fax at (517)371-9090 or by email at Finegood@mhpn.org. Selected area photographs are also available for print publication at http://www.mhpn.org/Default.asp?area_2=network/newssource.dat&objectid=E4B22130&ml_index=0&NC=9188X.