EcoStructure January/February 2010 : Page 31
standard for historic homes. Many of these buildings were created before air conditioning existed so being air-tight was not a priority. We look into ways that can allow the building to look the same but perform like a new fully weatherized, fully insulated building. How did Historic Green approach past events? During our fi rst year, we invented it as we went along. Despite some stumbling at the beginning, we knew that whatever happened, we were going to do something. We were going to show up, we had invited this network of people to join us, and we were going to make some good things happen, whatever it took. It was extremely diffi cult to manage and organize, but we were able to do amazing work on an extremely small budget, turning every dollar donated into $10 of built-in value for the neighborhood. In terms of strategy, we were spread very thin, doing a variety of projects all over the neighborhood. While we had done $250,000 worth of value-added construction, the community couldn’t see the results because you couldn’t point at one project and say that’s the Historic Green house or garden. Last year, with the help of advisers like Bob Berkebile and Majora Carter, we decided to focus on a fi nite area, choosing a 10-block area of the ward’s main commercial drag. We then approached businesses and homeowners with a menu of services we could provide. What are some goals of the upcoming event? This will be our third year working on the same site. We partner with the Preservation Resource Center [PRC], which runs a program called Operation Comeback. They do amazing work with historic buildings, restoring them and putting them back on the market, as well as working with homeowners to bring them back to their homes. Our fi rst year, we helped them deconstruct a 120-year-old multi-use building. Our second year, we held a charrette examining the pros and cons of preservation and sustainability through the lens of this [same] building. This year we break ground on transforming the building into a LEED Platinum–certifi ed community center and home for the neighborhood association and the Center for Sustainable Engagement and Development. Our work on this project is a big success. It was one of the fi rst conversations we had with our partners and, at the start, it was simply the PRC’s director dreaming out loud. At that time, the PRC was intensely interested in LEED, but had no experience with it, so they consulted with us. For us, the results of this multi-year project will be a visible reward and a lasting legacy. It evolved from wanting to help in any way we could, to creating something that will be used as an educational tool both in its construction and its operation. ▪ Historic Green’s spring event takes place March 9–19 in New Orleans. For details visit historicgreen.org. JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2010 ECO-STRUCTURE 31 PERSPECTIVE During past spring events, Historic Green volunteers have tackled a wide range of projects within New Orleans’ Lower Ninth Ward. Work on homes damaged by Hurricane Katrina included replacing damaged beams, walls, and fl oors; installing more effi cient windows and insulation; and repairing front porches and other outdoor spaces such as rain gardens. Projects also extend beyond architecture to include community initiatives such as putting together both a children’s library and an adult library at the Lower Ninth Ward Village, which also has served as Historic Green’s base of operations since its inaugural event in 2008. Courtesy Historic Green
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