Is a new building the most sustainable choice? Buildings are our most significant consumer products. Yet, every day, these structures are demolished—often in the name of environmental responsibility. Over the next 20 years, Americans will demolish over one-third of our building stock (over 82 billion square feet) in order to replace seemingly inefficient buildings with energy-efficient “green buildings.” Is demolition in the name of sustainability truly the best use of natural, social and economic resources?
The award-winning film, The Greenest Building explores this question with noted preservationists, architects and green building consultants discussing the environmental impact of demolition, the needs of communities to reflect a “sense of place,” and the proposition that the greenest building may, in fact, be the one that is already built. The film showcases examples of creatively repurposed historic buildings that have been upgraded to LEED standards, serving their owners and occupants as 21st Century workplaces while preserving the unique character of their surrounding communities.
Alhambra Preservation Group will present a screening of The Greenest Building, followed by a discussion by a panel of experts from the fields of architecture, historic preservation and urban planning. The screening and discussion will take place at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday, March 15 in Reese Hall at the Alhambra Civic Center Library, located at 101 S.First Street. All are welcome to attend; the event is free and open to the public. Light refreshments will be provided. Ample parking is available, at no charge, in the library’s underground parking structure.
For more information about the showing of The Greenest Building or to RSVP, please call (626) 755-3467.
* Photo Courtesy of Alhambra Preservation Group.
The Prose of Preservation 
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