“Historic Buildings, Modern Goals: Navigating Decarbonization in Preservation Projects,” an article coauthored by Angela Wyrembelski, AIA, APT-RP, of Quinn Evans along with Nakita Reed, AIA, NOMA, LEED AP BD+C, CPHC, formerly of Quinn Evans and now with the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund, has been published in APT Bulletin: The Journal of Preservation Technology, vol. 56, no. 1, 2026, pp. 9-16.
The article explores how preservation professionals can integrate decarbonization strategies into their projects to optimize performance, reduce carbon emissions, and preserve the cultural and material integrity of existing buildings. By contrasting two projects—the modest Compound Rowhouses in Baltimore, Maryland, and the monumental rehabilitation of Michigan Central Station in Detroit—Angela and Nakita examine how a building’s scale, the client’s mission, and the pursuit of a sustainability certification shape design strategies for carbon reduction.
Every decision in adaptive reuse carries the potential not only to reduce carbon emissions but also to influence who benefits and who bears the costs of our built environment.
ANGELA WYREMBELSKI & NAKITA REED
Ultimately, Angela and Nakita show that no matter the project, early-stage decisions are the most powerful leverage points for decarbonization; when guided by technical rigor, preservation values, and equity considerations, interventions can produce outcomes that are environmentally responsible, socially equitable, and culturally transformative.
