EnergyEfficiency - What can we learn from Boston's old Buildings?

According to a report recently released by the City of Boston, some older buildings built in the 1940s and earlier throughout Boston have lower energy use than many newer buildings. The city reviewed building energy data on buildings 50,000 sf or larger, which have disclosed water and energy use since 2013. Changes that affect efficiency include changes in the amount of sf per person today, the rise of air conditioning and heating, the higher numbers of windows and use of glass today, and changes in building material quality and durability. The fact that older buildings can be more energy efficient doesn't mean we can or will build like we used to, but it does appear that these older buildings may have some lessons to teach us about green building and energy efficiency. http://www.boston.com/real-estate/news/2015/10/13/boston-super-old-super-green-buildings/xUMRgbh9idBqW0E5kOX8LJ/story.html#sthash.35ITA20Q.dpbs