海角大神

When hurricane Katrina blew into New Orleans four years ago, Matt Petersen watched in shock as the floodwaters retreated, revealing one of the most devastating natural disasters in US history: billions of dollars in damages, 80 percent of the city flooded with filthy water, and a government response that provoked a firestorm of criticism.

鈥淚 watched everything play out in horror,鈥� says Mr. Petersen. 鈥淎nd, like everyone else, I went through the process of thinking, 鈥榃hat can I do?鈥� 鈥�

Petersen donated money and considered volunteering, but that wasn鈥檛 enough. 鈥淚 kept feeling this well up inside me, I felt compelled to act,鈥� he says.

As the city鈥檚 cleanup began, Petersen, the president and CEO of Global Green, an environmental nonprofit that promotes green building, saw a silver 鈥� or green 鈥� lining in Katrina鈥檚 catastrophic wake.

鈥淚 began to think, 鈥楳aybe I can do more.鈥� I run an organization with big thinking behind it; it鈥檚 a Red Cross for the environment. We have the greatest assemblage of green building expertise. How can we deploy that?鈥� he says. 鈥淐ertainly the city was going to be rebuilt. And this great city presented us with an opportunity to create the first truly green city in our nation.鈥�

So Petersen opened Global Green鈥檚 first New Orleans office in March 2006.

Now, four years after hurricane Katrina swept through New Orleans, he and a bevy of green-minded government employees, nonprofit organizations, volunteers, and celebrities (such as Brad Pitt) have helped transform the city into the frontier of a new green revolution.

鈥淣ow more people are interested in what we do,鈥� says Wynecta Fisher, director of the Mayor鈥檚 Office of Environmental Affairs. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 what the storm did. I have had access to some of the best and brightest minds and techniques.鈥�

As a result, the city currently operates 49 biodiesel buses and several LED stoplights, with plans to purchase LED streetlamps soon. Green, energy-efficient schools are in the works, and the city is eager to do more.

鈥淲e serve as a model,鈥� says Charles Allen, chairman of the board of the Holy Cross Neighborhood Association in the Lower Ninth Ward. 鈥淭his is how a community can recover from a major disaster. I say, look, we鈥檙e going to prove to the world that you can live in an improved, better way.鈥�

As part of that 鈥渋mproved ... way,鈥� Global Green came up with an ambitious three-pronged plan: rebuild 10,000 homes to be green, adopt a sustainable neighborhood model, and upgrade area schools to be more ecofriendly. Petersen also resolved to create local expertise in green building in order to create jobs and ensure that the effort endures.

In partnership with the city and using money from the Bush-Clinton Katrina fund, Global Green plans to improve energy efficiency and air quality of existing schools and open two new schools that will be certified Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) silver. The schools will also help promote environmental awareness.

Global Green鈥檚 landmark initiative is the Holy Cross project, a sustainable neighborhood in the Lower Ninth Ward that will serve as a model for other communities. To generate ideas for the project, Global Green sponsored an international design competition, challenging architects to design an energy-efficient and affordable neighborhood model.

The winning proposal, designed by architects Matt Berman and Andrew Kotchen of Workshop/apd, a New York design firm, consists of five single-family homes, an 18-unit apartment building, and a community center that also serves as a sustainable design and environmental advocacy center. The goal is for all construction to use zero net energy, and be carbon neutral and LEED platinum certified.

鈥淭he idea was to design replicable, affordable, sustainable housing,鈥� says Mr. Kotchen.

The homes, the first of which was completed in May 2008, are tall, narrow, two-story buildings wrapped in fiber cement siding and topped with photovoltaic-paneled shed roofs at 30-degree angles. Screened porches, lower roofs, and strategically placed energy-efficient windows accent the exterior.

Inside, the wood flooring has been salvaged from existing structures. Paperless drywall, or gypsum board, offers mold resistance in the humid city. Spray foam insulation prevents air leaks and increases energy efficiency. And paints use water- or soy-based solvents containing few air-polluting toxins.

It鈥檚 not just about the materials, though, says Kotchen. 鈥淚t was the whole approach. For us, it鈥檚 an all-encompassing design philosophy.鈥�

For example, he cites house and window orientation as ways to minimize sun exposure, and high ceilings and deep porches as natural cooling measures.

鈥淕ood design is green design,鈥� he says.

Responsible waste handling is also an important part of green building. About 8,000 pounds of waste are discarded during the construction of a typical 2,000-square-foot home, according to Sustainable Sources, a green building information resource. Global Green reuses or recycles construction waste to keep materials from being carted to landfills. This also saves disposal tipping fees.

Even the homes鈥� landscaping is green. Porous pavement driveways allow rainwater to permeate the ground, rather than run off, carrying pollutants into nearby rivers and lakes. Rain gardens stocked with wetland vegetation border the driveways, ready to absorb and filter downpours. And shade trees planted in strategic areas 鈥� such as the sunny south side of a house 鈥� provide natural cooling.

This isn鈥檛 necessarily new, but simply good sense, says Kotchen. 鈥淕ood design has been around for a long time.鈥�

Contrary to popular thought, green design doesn鈥檛 have to be expensive. The Holy Cross homes will sell for about $175,000 and are expected to save residents an estimated $1,200 to $2,400 each year in utility bills.

鈥淭here鈥檚 an element of justice here,鈥� says Petersen. 鈥淭he question is, how do we protect the environment and provide truly affordable housing?鈥�

This is a theme throughout the Holy Cross project, including the 18-unit apartment building. The apartments, which will be reserved for low-income residents, are expected to rent for $550 to $650 a month.

Once complete, America鈥檚 first entire LEED platinum certified neighborhood will include the first LEED platinum certified apartment building in the US.

鈥淸The project] has created a ripple effect,鈥� Petersen says. 鈥淚t鈥檚 bringing in suppliers, creating a workforce. We鈥檙e helping create a market. It鈥檚 humbling, yet gratifying, to see what we鈥檝e been able to accomplish to bring back this great city.鈥�

As reconstruction continues four years after Katrina crippled the city, perhaps the most notable rebuilding isn鈥檛 happening at homes and schools, many people say. Instead, it鈥檚 happening in town meetings and neighborhood associations.

鈥淥ne thing that Katrina did, it made people really look at the importance of community,鈥� says Ms. Fisher of the Mayor's Office of Environmental Affairs. 鈥淧eople are engaged now. They鈥檙e not waiting for the government to do something for them. They鈥檙e getting involved.鈥�

In some ways, then, it could be called a perfect storm.聽 鈥淎bsolutely, there are blessings and silver linings that come out of every disaster,鈥� says Mr. Allen of the Holy Cross Neighborhood Association.

The hurricane created an opportunity for New Orleans, he says. 鈥淲e definitely have more friends, more resources at our disposal. It鈥檚 allowing us to make major strides.鈥�

He pauses. 鈥淭his is our chance.鈥�

Editor鈥檚 note: For more articles about the environment, see the Monitor鈥檚 main environment page, which offers information on many environment topics. Also, check out our and our .