by jbs083010 c3 — September 3, 2010—Five years after the devastating hurricanes that ravaged New Orleans and much of the Gulf Coast, many organizations have stepped in to help rebuild the city, placing emphasis on resilience, sustainability and economic prosperity. The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), the driving force of the green building industry in America, has also made rebuilding New Orleans green a key priority.
USGBC developed the New Orleans Principles in conjunction with numerous stakeholders. The Principles are roadmaps and specific action plans for the re-planning and rebuilding efforts, with the intent of enhancing environmental, social, and economic outcomes.
Through USGBC’s LEED green building certification program, hundreds of homes, schools and commercial buildings are being rebuilt to be high-performance, resource-efficient, durable and healthier places for the people of New Orleans.
USGBC’s Louisiana Chapter has been a driving force for keeping sustainability at the forefront of rebuilding efforts, and USGBC’s New Orleans Green Building Coordinator Anisa Baldwin Metzger has been successfully working with the Recovery School District to translate green building strategies into real-world results.
Highlights of USGBC’s accomplishments since 2005 include:
- USGBC embedded an expert in the Recovery School District to work with all schools on rebuilding green.
- All public schools are being built to minimum LEED Silver Certification.
- Green movie studio in the Lower Garden District will be LEED Silver.
- Make It Right has built the largest community of LEED Platinum homes in the world.
- Salvation Army’s EnviRenew is building and repairing 250 homes in five New Orleans neighborhoods to be green and energy efficient, and USGBC and EnviRenew’s Natural Talent Design Competition will build four LEED Platinum homes in the Broadmoor neighborhood.
Preservation Resource Center (PRC) and the Center for Sustainable Engagement and Development (CSED) will be opening a new LEED Platinum community center/headquarters in the Holy Cross neighborhood of the Lower Ninth Ward.
- Working with USGBC, several groups in the city are training workers to rebuild the city better and greener: LA Greencorps, Good Work Network, Electrician’s Union, Delgado Community College, and the Deep South Center for Environmental Justice.
