Goin’ Green in Holy Cross
March 19th, 2008 by Glenda Johnson
More than two years have passed since Hurricane Katrina ravaged New Orleans. Although many parts of the city are back in business, other areas – including large swaths of the Lower Ninth Ward – remain under-populated, with far too many brownfields and vacant properties. Yet, a walk through the Lower Ninth Ward also shows the many efforts, by a roster of diverse people, underway to help breathe life back into the Crescent City.
One of the innovative efforts includes Global Green’s Holy Cross Project, which aims to be “to be a beacon of sustainable development for New Orleans and the world.” After the storm, Global Green USA – with Brad Pitt – issued a call for innovative solutions to design a zero energy affordable housing development. The winner, New York’s Workshop/APD, works with residents — including Pam Deshiell and the Holy Cross Neighborhood Association — to create housing that is healthy, affordable, and sustainable. “We aim for this project to meet LEED Platinum standards and carbon neutral,” said Beth Gallente, a member of Global Green project team. The project uses recycled wood for flooring, energy efficient appliances, HVAC systems, energy monitoring systems, and other green design principles. Global Green will build 5 single-family homes and an 18-unit apartment building. Currently, they’re completing a model unit that’ll serve as a prototype for the single-family units.
Check out the project for updates on housing availability and tips on how to make your home a greener place.
“It was estimated that if 50,000 of the homes destroyed by Hurricane Katrina were rebuilt according to the green standards of set by the design competition, residents of New Orleans would save $38 million to $56 million in energy bills every year and eliminate over 1⁄2 million total tons of CO2 – the equivalent of taking 100,000 cars off the road.” — Global Green
Tags: green, Katrina, new orleans