A beacon of sustainable development for New Orleans and the world.

Single Family Homes
The first home, currently under construction, will be completed this Fall and will initially serve as a visitors center for developers, contractors and residents to learn how to rebuild green. After construction is completed on the majority the Project, the 5 single family homes will be first made available to and sold to displaced residents of the Holy Cross and 9th Ward communities. Global Green is working with the Holy Cross Neighborhood to create homeowner selection criteria, and identify and select qualified homebuyers. The homes will sell for an average price of $175,000 and Global Green plans to create a soft second mortgage financing option to help prospective buyers to bring the equivalent price to $150,000 or lower. The homes will save the residents an estimated $1200 to $2400 a year in utility bills, allowing lower income families to qualify for the mortgage as well. Using advanced monitoring systems in the home, residents can see their energy and resource consumption in real time, and if they choose, modify their behavior to further lower energy costs. Modest homeowner association fees will allow for residents to turn to the project manager to ensure the rain water harvesting, geothermal, solar and other systems are maintained properly and will continue to maximize savings.

18 Unit Apartment Building
The green affordable housing building will include outstanding views of the Mississippi River and downtown New Orleans, 75% to 90% lower energy bills and all the benefits healthy indoor air quality. These restricted income units will make it possible for low income residents and families to enjoy these unique apartments. It is estimated one bedroom apartments will rent for $550 a month and 2 bedroom apartments will rent for $650 a month. Global Green will seek applications from displaced residents of the 9th Ward.

Community Center/Sustainable Design and Climate Action Institute
Community Center – Community Services and Emergency Needs: The community center will feature a community services (e.g., ATM, corner market, etc.), a Visitor’s and Green Building Resource Center, an arts and cultural component, and an emergency center. For emergency needs, a rain water harvesting system will collect water (with filtration bringing it to drinking water standards), and solar panels on the roof of the Center will charge batteries that will provide power for emergency refrigeration (for medicines, etc.), lights and mobile phones in case residents are left without power or are unable to evacuate in an emergency.

Sustainable Design and Climate Action Institute: As a centerpiece of the project and Global Green’s ongoing presence in New Orleans, the institute would be a “Center of Excellence” for the rebuilding of the Gulf Coast that demonstrate all aspects of green building appropriate for the climate zone, while providing opportunities for sharing knowledge across the United States, and even globally. This will also be a gathering place for information, knowledge, and leadership generated by the sustainable design and green building activity in and around New Orleans and the response to Hurricane Katrina. University and research institute alliances will tie academic and professional programs tied to its ongoing work and focus. The monitoring of the buildings will also allow the institute to study the performance energy systems, energy conservation, IAQ, water efficiency, and system monitoring.

Outdoor Space: The interior courtyard will provide an outdoor gathering area for residents. A pathway through the project to the Mississippi River will have an interpretative learning component and children’s education area that connect to the river levee, community center, visitor’s center, and other sustainable landscaping features such as stormwater runoff capture and cisterns. These elements will be tied to the Visitor’s Center and be part of the experience for those that come to see the project.

Lead Funding Partner
The Home Depot Foundation

Competition Sponsors
Brad Pitt, Adam Joseph Lewis, Pierre Andre Senizergues, Trizec Properties, Suzanne Freiwald, Sean Cummings

Design Jury
Lauren Anderson, Bob Berkebile, Keith Butler, Yolanda Daniels, Pam Dashiell, Julie Eizenberg, Walter Hood, Ray Huff, Thom Mayne, William Morrish, David Orr, Matt Petersen, Brad Pitt (Chair), Pierre Andre Senizergues, Marion Weiss

Technical Jury
Global Green USA: Walker Wells, Bruce Hampton
US Green Building Council: Bill Browning, Bob Berkebile
E. Eean McNaughton, Susan Maxman

PROJECT TEAM

Owner – Global Green USA: Matt Petersen, Walker Wells, Elizabeth Galante, Monica Gilchrist, Ruben Aronin, John Moore, Douglas and Andry Sustainable Building, LLC

Designer – Workshop/APD

Architect of Record - John C. Williams Architects, LLC

Landscape Designer – D.I.R.T Studio

Senior Advisor – Bob Berkebile / BNIM

Developer – Kathy Laborde, Gulf Coast Housing Partnership

Development Consultants – Matt Smith/CMC Enterprise, Carlton Brown/Full Spectrum of NY, LLC

Landscape Architect – Carlos Cashio, LLC

Contractor – Landis Construction Co., LLC

MEP Engineers – Supersymmetry USA, Moses Engineering

Structural Engineer – Morphy Makofsy, Inc

Civil Engineer – Julien Engineering

Energy Consultant – Think Energy, Inc

Building Science Consultant – Building Science Corporation

SPECIAL THANK YOU

Cynthia Willard Lewis
Holy Cross Neighborhood Association
Special thanks to the nearly 130 teams that submitted designs for consideration
Design Competition Consultants Jones / Kroloff Design Services