If you're an old-house owner in New England who has resolved to improve your home's energy efficiency this year, you may be wondering where to start. Enter Common Sense Preservation, a web portal created in partnership between the Newport Restoration Foundation, Preserve Rhode Island, Historic New England, and the Providence Revolving Fund.

Visit the site to find informative links for old-house owners in New England who value the historic character of their homes and hope to improve upon their homes' energy performance without breaking the bank.

Frequent House Enthusiast readers may recall my Saving old wood windows rather than replacing them post which touched on one aspect of "green" preservation. I've since discovered another relevant National Trust for Historic Preservation link in support of old wood-window restoration here. Check out the National Trust for Historic Preservation general weatherization guidelines here.

2011 may be the year you finally address those drafty windows, ice dams, and climbing heating bills -- all without sacrificing historic character or wads of cash. Go ahead; get started.

by Katie Hutchison for House Enthusiast