Rebuilding New Orleans
Energy-efficient home projects dot New Orleans
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS. October 13, 2008. By Eileen Fleming
NEW ORLEANS (AP) - On a sliver of a demolished chunk of the Lower Ninth Ward is a cluster of modern homes being readied for the return of families. Here is cutting-edge design in an unlikely landscape.
The state-of-the-art, energy-efficient residences were designed by prominent architects and experts brought together by the Make It Right foundation, driven by actor Brad Pitt. The homes stand next to concrete slabs that are all that is left of houses bashed sideways by a levee break during Hurricane Katrina three years ago.
About a mile from the Make It Right project is another energy-efficient residence, the first of five planned houses to be accompanied by an 18-unit apartment building and a community center. The Global Green Holy Cross project, like the Make It Right project, aims for energy self-sufficiency. Birgitta Bisztray of Global Green USA takes visitors on tours of the house. All the electricity comes from the 28 solar panels on its roof, she said. And knowing their house will have power when storms knock out public systems is reassuring for residents, she said. "It's important to continue life as normal," Biszstray said. The second floor has a deck that offers city views and a roof garden. Interiors feature non-toxic materials, such as paint with low VOC (volatile organic compounds) and natural-fiber carpeting. Bathrooms feature dual-flush toilets. Windows are double-paned. Appliances are Energy Star whenever possible.
Among those touring the state-of-the-art home are groups refurbishing some of the thousands of residences damaged by Katrina. A Brookings Institution study found that as of March 2008, the city was dealing with 65,000 blighted properties or vacant lots. It estimated that before the storm there were no more than 15,000 such properties.