News Release

Independence National Historical Park to receive $14M for infrastructure improvements

Independence Hall and other historic buildings will benefit from a new HVAC system funded through the Great American Outdoors Act.

NPS photo

News Release Date: December 17, 2021

Contact: Andrew McDougall

PHILADELPHIA – Independence National Historical Park will receive $14 million from the Great American Outdoors Act (GAOA) to upgrade the park’s extensive heating infrastructure. The project will replace failed and inefficient systems and result in a substantial reduction of the park’s carbon footprint and utility costs. 

“The park has been seeking to modernize its antiquated heating system for years,” said Superintendent Cynthia MacLeod. “We are committed to promoting clean and efficient energy solutions that help address the climate crisis. The new heating infrastructure will not only use less energy, it will restore heat to buildings that are offline due to failed systems and save us time and expense in maintaining problematic and inefficient units.”  

The GAOA funding will address a significant National Park Service maintenance backlog project.  Much of the park’s heating, ventilation and air condition (HVAC) equipment dates back at least 50 years. This system renovation will help preserve the park’s landmark buildings and provide comfort for the almost five million people who visit them annually. The improvements will help prepare the park for the commemorative activities and extra attention associated with the upcoming 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence in 2026. 

The centerpiece of the park is Independence Hall, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, where both the Declaration of Independence and the United States Constitution were debated and signed. The park covers almost 54 acres in Philadelphia’s Old City and also includes the Liberty Bell, Congress Hall, Franklin Court, the First Bank of the United States and other historic buildings associated with the founding of the United States.   

The project will cut energy consumption and utility costs for the park. The new system will use less natural gas to produce hot water and will use less water to provide the same level of heating to the buildings served. The current open loop system requires that high-pressure steam be transported 2.5 miles to the park and eventually disposed into the city sewer system as steam condensate. The new closed loop system will use natural gas to generate hot water that will recycle and be pumped through multiple buildings. This, along with multiple HVAC equipment repairs and replacements and the updating of the automated systems that control them, will provide reductions of CO2 emissions of approximately 1,700 tons per year over the existing system.   

The project is being financed through GAOA’s National Parks and Public Lands Legacy Restoration Fund which, along with the recently passed Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and other construction funding sources, is part of a concerted effort to address the large maintenance backlog in national parks. This investment at Independence National Historical Park is expected to eliminate $9.5 million of the backlog.  

Supported by revenue from energy development, GAOA provides up to $1.9 billion per year for five years to make significant enhancements in national parks and other public lands to ensure their preservation and provide opportunities for recreation, education and enjoyment for current and future visitors.

www.nps.gov/inde 

A unit of the National Park Service, Independence National Historical Park was created by an Act of Congress on June 28, 1948.  Accredited by the American Association of Museums, Independence NHP covers almost 54 acres in Philadelphia’s Old City, and includes Independence Hall, the Liberty Bell, Congress Hall, Franklin Court, and other historic buildings associated with the founding of the United States. The park is open from 9:00 am daily with the exception of Christmas day.  A visit to Independence National Historical Park should start at the Independence Visitor Center, located at 6^th and Market Streets.  Here, visitors can pick up a park brochure and park map. Learn more at www.nps.gov/inde, and on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.