Energy Efficiency in Historic Homes There are a few hurdles to
overcome in retrofitting historic homes, such as staying out of
the way of visitors, but the effort can lead to greater energy
efficiency, greater comfort, and better protection for precious
artifacts. Reducing the amount of energy used in historic homes
has two big benefits. First, it can help government agencies or
private conservators to stretch tight budgets. Second, and
almost as important, the efficiency improvements may extend the
lives of important historic properties and can help to maintain
a better indoor environment for the artifacts housed within
them. The Road to Galena Visitors to a historic home probably
don’t think first about saving energy. Yet that was the first
thought on the mind of a team who visited three historic homes
in Galena, Illinois, in the early summer of 2003. The Illinois
state energy office, which is housed within the Department of
Commerce and Economic Opportunity, working with the Illinois
Historic Preservation