Training

Upcoming Training

Building Codes Webinar

The National Park Service will host a training webinar on building codes and historic buildings for property owners, architects, developers, consultants, local landmark commissions, and the general public on May 2 and May 21 at 2 pm ET.

The training will focus on Preservation Brief 51: Building Codes for Historic and Existing Buildings: Planning and Maximizing their Application, issued in June 2024, and will, among other things, highlight alternative compliance methods available under model building codes for historic and existing buildings that can provide more flexible and less costly alternatives to meet state and local code requirements.

Preservation Brief 51 discusses how to meet the goals of building codes while preserving or minimizing alterations to the character-defining features, spaces, materials, and finishes of historic buildings. It also provides guidance for selecting the optimal code compliance method and suggests best practices for achieving code-compliant solutions that also allow for the preservation of a building’s historic character.

Marilyn E. Kaplan, Architect, FAPT, author of the Brief, and Antonio Aguilar, Technical Preservation Services, will present the webinar.

The NPS is offering the same webinar on two different dates for increased attendance opportunity. Registration is free and open to the public – please select one of the dates and use the registration links below. The webinar will be recorded and made available online in the future.

Register for the May 2, 2025, webinar at https://doitalent.zoomgov.com/webinar/register/WN_wSyhM7ptSH-l88wVXavpIQ

Register for the May 21, 2025, webinar at https://doitalent.zoomgov.com/webinar/register/WN_G1ulmevbT2O6VVwtez_MAg

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Frequent Program-Users Training on the Secretary's Standards for Rehabilitation

The National Park Service will hold a 1-1/2-day in-person advanced training on the Secretary of the Interior's Standards for Rehabilitation on June 10-11, 2025, in downtown Washington, DC.

This training is primarily intended for property owners, developers, architects, consultants, and other frequent users of the Federal Historic Preservation Tax Incentives Program already knowledgeable about the program requirements and the Standards for Rehabilitation. The training will be repeated virtually and later made available in an on-demand, recorded version for those unable to attend and so that it may be accessible to a broader audience.

The training will emphasize the inherent flexibility within the Standards by taking into account such issues in their interpretation and application as reasonableness, economic and technical feasibility, cumulative effect, and code and programmatic requirements. The training will also focus on applying the Standards to common property types and historic rehabilitation projects.

This training complements the frequent program-users training held in September 2023 focusing on the Historic Preservation Certification Applications intended to help streamline the review process and avoid incomplete submissions, delays in review, and their associated costs. That training was repeated virtually last year and will be available in an on-demand, recorded version in the coming weeks.

Prior registration is required to attend. Attendees are responsible for making their own hotel reservation arrangements. 

Registrations will be accepted in the order received. To register, email Technical Preservation Services at [e-mail] by Thursday, May 22, 2025, with your contact information (name, company, address, email address, and phone number) and whether you require any special accommodations. Questions may be directed to the same email address.

Please note that if for some reason the event is not able to go forward as planned, we recommend that your travel arrangements be made cancellable.

On Demand Training

Watch videos of virtual training on technical topics for historic buildings, the Historic Preservation Tax Incentives Program, and the the Secretary of the Interior's Standards for Rehabilitation.

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  Preservation Brief 16: The Use of Substitute Materials on Historic Building Exteriors

  This webinar discusses Preservation Brief 16: The Use of Substitute Materials on Historic Building Exteriors and the application and interpretation of the Secretary of the Interior's Standards for Rehabilitation, including considerations for the appropriate use of substitute materials and case-study examples.

  Duration:

  1 hour, 3 minutes, 3 seconds

Online Training

Technical Preservation Services has created web-based training features to provide professional development alternatives and enrichment programs for professional preservationists, local preservation commissions, volunteers, and anyone interested in more in-depth training in historic preservation.

Sustainabilty Guidelines

These guidelines offer specific guidance on how to make historic buildings more sustainable in a manner that will preserve their historic character and that will meet The Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation.

Illustrated Rehabilitation Guidelines

Illustrated guidelines specific to the Secretary of the Interior's Standards for Rehabilitation provide general design and technical recommendations during the project planning stage.

Incentives, A Guide to the Historic Preservation Tax Incentives Program

Clear, detailed information to assist historic building owners, preservation consultants, community officials, and architects planning historic preservation projects. “Avoiding Incompatible Work,” provides illustrated examples of tax credit projects that met, or did not meet, the Standards for Rehabilitation.

From the Roof Down and Skin Deep

Learn how the “skin” of your historic house functions, how to keep surfaces and features in good repair over time, and what happens if you don't.

Managing Moisture in Your Historic House

See how moisture invades historic materials; what goes wrong when moisture is not adequately managed; and how to address present and future problems by providing some simple, common sense tips

Rehab Yes and Nos

Brief case studies focus on issues that frequently arise during rehabilitation projects. Evaluate the existing conditions, learn what repairs, alterations, and additions were undertaken, and see how the historic character was preserved or lost.

Roofing for Historic Buildings: From Asbestos to Zinc

Understand the history of roofing, an important building component, and learn more about the appearance, composition, manufacture and application of roofing materials and systems.

Walk Through Historic Buildings

This web class helps identify those tangible elements or features that give historic buildings their unique visual character.

Working on the Past in Local Historic Districts

This tutorial outlines the legal strengths of local historic districts, describes the local preservation ordinance, discusses the benefits of local design guidelines, and makes clear the essential differences between preservation, rehabilitation, restoration, and reconstruction.