After the Gulf Coast hurricanes, plenty of people (most of them a safe distance outside the disaster zone) suggested that the architectural destruction presented an unprecedented opportunity to rebuild sustainably. Lots of designs and competitions have emerged in the 22 months since the storms, proposing various strategies for addressing survivability, efficiency, and environmentally-sound construction. Today a small group of architects, community activists and scientists gathered at Tulane University in New Orleans to talk about these issues in the context of a proposed rebuilding plan for the Lower Ninth Ward’s Holy Cross neighborhood that they say will produce the nation’s first and only climate neutral community. The presentation streamed as a live webcast (which should be viewable here but isn’t up as of this writing), so I had a chance to attend virtually from my desk in Seattle. The members of Zero Carbon Nola call the circumstances in the Lower Ninth a “perfect storm” — but not in the way you might think. They consider it a perfect storm of sustainability, due to the fortuitous collision of public attention, celebrity support, and throngs of willing volunteers. Bob Berkebile, an architect from Kansas City Missouri, began today’s talk on an optimistic note… (more)
(Posted by Sarah Rich in Green Building at 5:10 PM)