The Concept

The Holy Cross Project consists of 5 single-family homes, an 18-unit apartment building, and a community center/sustainable design and climate action center. The project is awaiting its LEED Platinum certification (LEED for Home for the single family homes and LEED NC for the other buildings), is net zero energy and is striving to be a carbon neutral building. By using solar panels, high performance building design, HVAC systems, energy and resource monitoring systems, and energy efficient appliances, the buildings in the Holy Cross Project will use at least 75% less energy than typical buildings. In addition, Global Green is also exploring the use of river turbines in the adjacent Mississippi River.

The Sustainable Design Competition for the Project sought visionary, yet practical responses to the challenge of sustainable development. By providing specific examples of the how a thoughtful and environmentally responsible rebuilding could take place, the competition hoped to lead New Orleans to a position of prominence in the area of sustainable development and thus help recapture its reputation as a place of innovation and leadership.

Competitors were urged to think outside the box, but to remember that the box must still be buildable at an affordable price. To serve as a catalyst for the sustainable rebuilding process, the competition asked participants to address several components of neighborhood design, including housing, community facilities, and planning.

It was estimated that If 50,000 of the homes destroyed by Hurricane Katrina were rebuilt according to the green standards of set by the design competition, residents of New Orleans would save $38 million to $56 million in energy bills every year and eliminate over 1⁄2 million total tons of CO2 – the equivalent of taking 100,000 cars off the road.

Further goals of the Holy Cross Project concept include:

  • Bring five families to Holy Cross
  • Low-rent green apartments for working families and individuals
  • Highest ground in the city
  • Develop green building capacity of local builders, designers and govt.
  • Passive survivability
  • LEED certification for each home and building; likely LEED ND
  • Most electrical energy from sun
  • Storm water management
  • Use of salvaged and local materials
  • Minimal construction waste

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