Rebuilding New Orleans
Global Green USA and New Orleans – an Overview
After the devastation of Hurricane Katrina and the inadequate response of the US Government, Global Green USA made a dedicated commitment to sustainable building in New Orleans and the Gulf Coast.
Sustainable Design Competition for New Orleans
As part of our commitment to the sustainable rebuilding of New Orleans and demonstrating green building as a solution to global warming nationally, Global Green USA - in collaboration with Brad Pitt as jury chairman - sponsored an international design competition during the summer of 2006. More than 125 entries competed to design a net zero energy affordable housing and community center development in the Holy Cross neighborhood of the Lower 9th Ward.
It was estimated that If 50,000 of the homes destroyed by Hurricane Katrina were rebuilt according to the green standards 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.
The design jury selected six finalists, including three teams with New Orleans connections. The teams then worked with the technical jury and met several times with the Holy Cross residents to refine their designs. The finalists presented their refined concepts and designs to the design jury on August 29 and 30, 2006. The design jury selected the design by Matthew Berman and Andrew Kotchen of Workshop/apd, a young NYC firm.
From Winning Design to the Holy Cross Project
With the support of Lead Funding Partner Home Depot Foundation, Global Green is now working with Workshop/apd and a dedicated and highly skilled team of sustainable design and building experts together with the Holy Cross Neighborhood Association to translate the winning development proposal into a reality. Global Green has assembled a highly skilled and dedicated project team of national experts paired with local professionals with the goal of transferring knowledge to ultimately make green expertise indigenous to New Orleans. Through the Holy Cross Project, Global Green is committed to:
- Creating a green model or showcase for development and rebuilding for New Orleans, and green affordable housing in the US;
- Ensuring the sustainability and long term affordability of the Project’s housing units for residents, and socioeconomic fabric of the neighborhood through the center;
- Educating NOLA residents, the Gulf Coast and broader American public through the Project’s Visitor Center, NOLA resource center, and website about the benefits of green building.
- Advancing smart solutions to global warming that both benefit communities (e.g., affordable housing, schools) and engage stakeholders in building will for action
The Holy Cross Project consists of 5 single-family homes, an 18-unit apartment building, and a community center/sustainable design and climate action center. The goal of the project is to achieve LEED Platinum standards (LEED for Home for the single family homes and LEED NC for the other buildings), net zero energy and carbon neutral building. By using solar panels, high performance building design, HVAC systems, energy and resource monitoring systems, and energy efficient appliances, the buildings in the Holy Cross Project will use at least 75% less energy than typical buildings. In addition, Global Green is also exploring the use of river turbines in the adjacent Mississippi River.
Green Schools
With the help of a $2 million grant from the Bush Clinton Katrina Fund, Global Green USA has launched a high performance schools initiative that is helping benefit thousands of New Orleans students, as well as their teachers and their families. There are five schools to be designated as Green Seed Schools that will receive assistance and resources to improve energy and water efficiency, improve indoor air quality, and if feasible, on-site renewable energy generation. A second and more ambitious phase of the program will result in the creation of high performance showcase Model Green Schools including the major rehabilitation of two schools over the course of the next two years.
Build It Back Green
Build It Back Green (BIBG) was established in 2008 to provide New Orleans homeowners and small rental property owners who have received Road Home Grants with the necessary information, and technical assistance to rebuild in an affordable and sustainable manner. Global Green has received funding for this program from local and national foundations.
Revitalizing the Holy Cross Neighborhood, the Lower 9th Ward, & Beyond
As a landmark sustainable development, the Global Green Holy Cross Project is of vital importance to Global Green, the Holy Cross Neighborhood and the people of New Orleans. The success of the project will act as a beacon for sustainable affordable housing development and will create a model that can be replicated by communities around the world. By utilizing multiple green and healthy building strategies, the Global Green Holy Cross Project will add real value by reducing long-term operating costs from energy and water bills, create a healthier living environment by eliminating toxic materials, protect the environment through the use of sustainable materials and empower the people of the Lower 9th Ward to work toward a healthy and sustainable future.
Our sustainable development has influenced others in varied ways. The following is a list which offers insight into our effectiveness:
- A national team of designers/architects/engineers has learned important lessons and can now further the cause (John Williams Architects assisting the Make it Right project).
- National experts have been drawn into the neighborhood to assist in other ways (Bob Berkibile and the Holy Cross High School campus’ master plan).
- The Holy Cross Neighborhood Association has now vowed to become one of the first communities to plan for the reduction of carbon.
- Local code officials are benefiting from our design team by inspecting a LEED Platinum Home.
- Green collar job training is taking place on the project with experienced solar energy companies showing others how to install a residential system. The local community college is identifying vocational students as the trainees.
- The local energy provider (Entergy) is learning by inspecting only the second whole house solar powered house in the local area.
- Our project is training our general contractors as well as its subcontractors on the newest available technology.
- Our contract with these contractors is benefitting the local economy by offering living wage jobs.
- Procurement of these green elements is spurring more advancement within the contracting industry.
- Our inquiries into the Home Depot purchasing department is raising awareness of procurement activities not yet encountered.
- Through our partnership with Edgefield Lumber Co. (Bluwood), their local distributor has successfully been certified as an FSC business. This event makes the FSC process much easier for local developments due to the facilitation of the chain of custody.
- New partnerships have spurred novel product development such as the Columbia Forest Products Purebond cabinetry. Because of our collaboration, their National Marketing Director has decided to start shipping the cabinets in their unmodified 4x8 sheets of “plywood”. A local woodshop utilizing digital cutting tools would then use designs previously sent by Columbia, to cut these healthy panels into the various pieces of the cabinets. The local contractor can then assemble the cabinets on site. This approach would save transportation costs because the bulkiness of the product has been significantly reduced. The carbon footprint will also be reduced because more product can be shipped due to the compact size. Finally, the local economy is now enhanced because the manufacturer isn’t doing all of the cutting and assembly work at their plants.
- By pushing the envelope, local and state code officials are listening and making determinations which will pave the way for others (appeal of indoor reuse of harvested rainwater).
- Local elected officials are able to tour our development and pursue this type of building in other areas of the City.
- Local officials are beginning to understanding how a modern building can blend with an historic landmark district (recent unanimous city council vote which approved our optimization designs).
- Visitors from outside of New Orleans are asking for “Katrina Tours” which bring them into our development and allows us to mentor them in building sustainably.
- Our design elements will be monitored for many years so that our construction offers a real educational component for academia.
- The soils remediation process has allowed us to clean up the neighborhood so that many families can enjoy the property.
- We have designed and built one of the first functioning “sub-tropical” green roofs in the United States.
- Our initial nighttime security service personnel provided the neighborhood (free of charge) with much needed surveillance during a time when relatively few people lived in the neighborhood.
- Our on-site surveillance cameras and resident staff member will continue this presence at no cost to the neighbors.
- Other spin offs have been developed for further study (a woman’s relief house may come to fruition adjacent to the property).
- The Holy Cross Neighborhood Association has seen the weekly representation of a Global Green staff member at its meetings, thereby offering a resource which, until the commencement of the project, was not available.
- Global Green USA staff members have been exposed to standards which are unique in the traditional construction industry. Two staff persons have been certified with advanced knowledge (HERS/Green rater) which will allow Global Green to further help others across the country.
