Restore Oregon has selected 14 historic projects across Oregon to receive a 2023 DeMuro Award for Excellence in Historic Preservation, the state’s highest honor for the preservation, reuse, and revitalization of architectural and cultural sites.

This year’s winners join more than 110 projects across Oregon that have been recognized with DeMuro Awards since 2013. 

Winning projects are selected by a jury of top professionals in the field of historic preservation and allied or related disciplines like architecture, planning, and engineering. “It’s exciting to see that this year’s class of DeMuro-award-winning projects demonstrate that reuse at every scale helps reduce Oregon’s carbon impact,” said Nicole Possert, Restore Oregon’s Executive Director. “Our jury selected these award recipients based on each project’s positive impact on their community and for the ways in which they inspire others to keep and reuse historic places as a measurable climate sustainability practice.”

Historic Preservation as Climate Action

The reuse of buildings and materials is an immediately accessible tool to reduce carbon emissions. Reuse projects typically save between 50 and 75 percent of the embodied carbon emissions compared to constructing a new building. The 2023 DeMuro Awards show that existing buildings are not only full of history, craftsmanship, and charm, but are also the most sustainable. “The DeMuro Awards help Oregonians understand that preservation isn't a relic of the past, but a beacon to a sustainable future. Rather than demolishing Oregon's historic architecture and adding it to the landfill, viewing it as a renewable resource can help us meet sustainability goals, create affordable housing, and inspire economic development,” said Possert.  

Learn More: https://restoreoregon.org/the-2023-demuro-award-winners/?blm_aid=37669