Technology Assessment Division

Holy Cross Neighborhood Demonstration

DENR was awarded a $100,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Energy to incorporate energy efficiency and sustainable design practices into Louisiana's rebuilding strategies. National experts with years of experience in "actual" rebuilding of communities devastated by disasters have "volunteered" a portion of their time and services to Louisiana. Many of these experts are familiar with national programs/funding that may be utilized to incorporate such measures. Working with the Tulane/Xavier Bioenvironmental Center, DENR will assist the Holy Cross / Lower Nine neighborhood with a plan incorporating opportunities to rebuild energy efficient, safer, and sustainable.

To show the progress of the plan and occurring activities reflected in the plan, DENR has prepared this website for others to view and learn from.

• Map of Orleans Parish Neighborhoods
  Click on "Lower Ninth Ward" to see the location of the Holy Cross Neighborhood within the Lower Ninth Ward.
• Sustainable Restoration: Holy Cross Historic District & Lower 9th Ward:

  Prevention - Protection - Prosperity - Posterity - People - Planet (video)

• Sustainable Restoration: Holy Cross Historic District & Lower 9th Ward (pdf)
• Supplement Regarding the Energy Related Proposals (pdf)
  Review of “Sustainable Restoration for Holy Cross Neighborhood & Lower 9th Ward” by The Technology Assessment Division staff.
• News
  • Sustaining the Nine - Cover Story - The Gambit Weekly
    Lower Ninth Ward residents are rebuilding their historic but battered neighborhood indo a modern, 'green' model.
  • Webcast: A Perfect Storm: How one New Orleans neighborhood is struggling to rebuild – and become the nation’s first zero carbon community.
    Thursday, June 28, 2007, 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
  • Holy Cross homes tour helps mark Earth Day: Owners showcase energy-saving tools
  • Article in Monday, April 23, 2007 The Times-Picayune
  • "Flat-out Determination in Holy Cross Neighborhood" and "From Every Neighborhood, Residents Come to PRC Workshops"
    Articles from Preservation Resource Center's September 2006 edition of Preservation in Print.
  • Holy Cross, a Target Neighborhood of the Preservation Resource Center
    A brief overview of PRC's involvement with this historic district.
  • Energizing the Neighborhoods
    Article in Tulane University Magazine -- News
    When residents gather to talk about rebuilding plans for the Holy Cross neighborhood of New Orleans, which still does not have drinking water or electricity for every residence, their meetings are full of hope and visions of a better future. Two Tulane staff members are working with them to identify priorities for the area's renewal.
  • The Struggle for Environmental Justice in a Post Katrina/Rita World
    Article in Louisiana Sierra Club's Louisiana Environmental
    Justice Voices, March 2006
  • Rebuilding Resources (database)
    This database of resources in an Excel spreadsheet has been assembled to assist residents of New Orleans with the recovery effort. Click HERE to view online. Click HERE to download.
    Those who do not have Excel can download a free reader be HERE.

DNR/PRC

Because of the historical homes, churches, and other structures, DENR partnered with the PRC Operation Comeback, an organization devoted to the restorationa and protectioin of historical properties.

• Parade of Homes – Energy Efficient Homes in the Holy Cross Neighborhood – Operation Comeback
  The Department of Energy and Natural Resources and the Preservation Resource Center are collaborating to incorporate energy efficiency into rebuilding of historic homes in the Holy Cross Neighborhood in New Orleans under Operation Comeback.

DNR/PRC Demonstration Video (64.7 MB file)

Additional projects being undertaken and implemented in HCN/L9, with assistance from various entities, partners, and neighbors!

SOLA in NOLA

• Sharp Shows Solar Industry and Community Leadership at "SOLA in NOLA" Customer Event
  Press Release from Sharp Solar Energy Solutions Group
  NEW ORLEANS, February 28, 2007
• "Greening the Future of New Orleans: Residents in the Lower 9th Ward rebuild using donated solar systems from Sharp Solar"
  Article from RenewableEnergyAccess.com, March 6, 2007 by Stephen Lacey.
• “Solar power brings light to 9th Ward”
  Newspaper article from The Advocate, March 5, 2007 by Amy Wold.
• Letting the Sun Shine in Holy Cross
  When Sharp Solar Energy Solutions Group was looking for communities that could benefit from the donation and installation of solar panels, Charles Allen knew where to turn.
• SOLA in NOLA Event Video (56.5 MB)
  

  The Louisiana Department of Energy and Natural Resources conducted home energy ratings on the 10 properties that received photovoltaic equipment and provided lists of energy efficient improvement measures to the 10 property owners.  Incorporating these measures into the homes will greatly improve their performance and will enable them to better utilize the power generated by the photovoltaic equipment.  DENR was on site during the installation phase and provided this video.	Click on the animation below to see the video.

• Photographs

Global Green

Holy Cross Project
The Sustainable Design Competition for New Orleans
Advancing the Sustainable Rebuilding of New Orleans and the Gulf Coast
Brad Pitt, Design Chairman and Patron

Zero Carbon NOLA

A Perfect Storm: The Webcast
How one New Orleans neighborhood is struggling to rebuild and become the nation's first zero carbon community.