Preserving New Mexico’s Unique Cultural Heritage

Since 1986, Cornerstones has partnered with communities to preserve and restore important heritage sites in New Mexico and throughout the Southwest. By renewing use of a site—a church or public building—a community’s cultural traditions and values are preserved and made sustainable. Our work not only preserves the material iconic landscape, but also improves the sustainability of communities’ traditions and cultures. To date, Cornerstones has provided expertise and support on more than 400 projects.

Cornerstones' vision for heritage preservation in the 21st century is to link renewable energy with the preservation of heritage sites. Four years ago, in collaboration with Remy's Good Day Fund, we launched The Solar Initiative to award grants for solar projects proposed by New Mexico’s communities to address their collective needs and wants. Many Solar Initiative-supported projects are on Tribal Lands; all are grassroots projects.

Now, Cornerstones is moving its solar engagement to the next level with the Solar Heritage Preservation program, which will closely intertwine renewable energy with the preservation of historic buildings and local cultures.

Cornerstones will address the obstacles to implementing solar energy at historic sites. The introduction of solar arrays can challenge the integrity of a site; knowledgeable planning and design to reduce negative impacts is required to make it possible. Cornerstones will draw on its expertise in adobe construction, its relationships with Tribal Nations and heritage communities, and its relationships with solar companies to ensure that the solarization is compatible with the landscape and architecture.

Our prototype involves installation of a solar array on the roof of the 17th-century San Miguel Chapel in Santa Fe (pictured above). The project will be undertaken in collaboration with Positive Energy Solar and St. Michael’s High School, owner of the building. We will use the experience of the San Miguel project to better understand how best to evaluate a solar project’s logistics on historic sites. This information will be useful as we present information and enter discussions with communities considering solar implementation at heritage sites.

Cornerstones’ Solar Heritage Preservation program will bring relevance and sustainability to preservation of the cultural heritage of New Mexico. Please join us in our work for a sustainable heritage.

The San Miguel Chapel solarization project is being conducted with the support of an anonymous donor at The Catholic Foundation, the Richard and Julia Moe Family Fund of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, Remy’s Good Day Fund, the San Miguel Preservation Program of St. Michael’s High School, and Thornburg Investment Management.

Cornerstones Campaign for Solar Heritage Preservation

By Cornerstones Community Partnerships

Cornerstones Campaign for Solar Heritage Preservation

Your gift will be matched 1:1 by Cornerstones' Directors and Advisors, up to $11,000 for a total goal of $22,000. Please join us to support a sustainable heritage!