Much of the information needed for effective archeological preservation is hard to see. For objects, sometimes that information is encased by layers of corrosion. For whole sites, sometimes it is buried beneath centuries of sediment. And sometimes that information is inaccessible simply because it has not been shared with others. In 2009, NCPTT focused on looking “beneath the surface.” It focused on using technology to see what was hidden, to see what preservation clues could be revealed, and, critically, how those discovery methods could be taught to other professionals.
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A well-trained landscape maintenance staff is a valuable asset to an historic site. In contrast, an uninformed crew can jeopardize a landscape’s historic character and irreversibly damage historic features. Through its partnerships in 2009, NCPTT developed a training video, conducted a hands-on workshop, and hosted a round table discussion. Each of these efforts contributed [...]
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The best preservation decisions are based on first-hand knowledge. NCPTT is creating new technology-based information for people active in hands-on preservation and conservation.
NCPTT contributed its first-hand knowledge to the Department of Defense in 2009. Recently, the DOD wished to establish a series of standard rehabilitation treatments for better management of its built heritage. Initial drafts [...]
For the past several years, NCPTT’s Architecture and Engineering program has been working to understand the potential impact of climate change on cultural resources and conversely, the impact of cultural resources on climate change. Working with a variety of partners, the National Center has promoted historic preservation as an important component of sustainable development. Conservation of our existing built environment includes reusing historic and older buildings, improving their energy and environmental performance, and reinvesting in older and historic communities.
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In 2009, the old became new again. For many preservation groups, it was their first time to use social networking to take the conversation about heritage resources online. For NCPTT, it was an opportunity to draw on three years of social media involvement to consistently deliver quality, feature-rich content for the preservation community.
In January, NCPTT [...]
In these changing times of tighter budgets and increased security threats NCPTT’s Information Technology staff is continually researching and updating the in-office systems to make them as efficient as possible for the staff.
The National Center’s IT department faces many of the same challenges that larger IT departments face. Of particular emphasis has been security, data [...]
The Program Committee of the Alliance is accepting presentation proposals for its annual meeting in Albuquerque, New Mexico, April 21-24, 2010.
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Historic wrought iron and steel bridges are being replaced at an alarming rate. Those that remain are often rehabilitated using inappropriate techniques or are downgraded for limited highway traffic or pedestrian use. Lansing Community College in Lansing, Mich., is using a PTT Grant to develop and provide training based on modern and historic technologies to address the national need for preservation expertise in preserving historic metal truss structures.
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