Secretary of the Interior’s Standards

The purpose of The Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties with Guidelines for Preserving, Rehabilitating, Restoring & Reconstructing Historic buildings (2017) is to provide guidance to historic Building owners and building managers, Preservation consultants, architects, contractors, and project reviewers prior to beginning work. The Standards address four treatments: preservation, Rehabilitation, Restoration, and Reconstruction (defined separately in this document). As stated in the regulations (36 CFR Part 68) promulgating the Standards, “one set of standards …will apply to a property undergoing treatment, depending upon the property’s significance, existing physical condition, the extent of documentation available, and interpretive goals, when applicable. The Standards will be applied taking into consideration the economic and technical feasibility of each project.” These Standards apply not only to historic buildings but also to a wide variety of historic resource types Eligible to be listed in the National Register of Historic Places. This includes buildings, sites, structures, objects, and districts.