| |||||
Greetings from our New Orleans Green Building Resource Center. Turning Green Investment into Green Jobs for Louisiana With millions of federal stimulus dollars now flowing into Louisiana for energy efficiency and renewable energy development, many are asking how this investment will translate into new jobs for our state - and when. The fact is that the green economy is already blossoming here, with more than 10,000 Louisianans now working in a wide range of green careers, including green design and construction, solar, hydrokinetic, biomass, weatherization, education and non-profit work. And the green economy is far surpassing job growth in the state overall - a recent study by the Pew Charitable Trusts found that jobs in Louisiana's clean energy economy grew at a rate of 19.5% between 1998 and 2007 - compared to only 3% overall in the state. With dozens of rebuilding projects underway with strong clean energy goals, plus more than $100 million in federal stimulus dollars supporting energy efficiency and renewable energy in the state over the next several years, Louisiana has a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to become a leader in this emerging economy. To take full advantage of this potential, however, we will need strong leadership from Governor Jindal, other elected officials and from our business leaders in the state - the same Pew study showing Louisiana's strong green job growth also revealed zero capital investment in the clean energy economy during the same time frame. The federal government's financial support for Louisiana's expanding green economy will eventually dry up, so we need to make it a state priority to provide state dollars and encourage private investment now, so that we can not only sustain our hundreds of emerging green businesses and the tens of thousands of good jobs they provide, but also bring major green infrastructure and manufacturing facilities to our state so we can eventually export green goods and services nationwide. The recently completed state legislative session was an excellent step in that direction, with strengthened renewable energy tax credits, a new green jobs tax credit, and new green energy financing options approved for local governments, thanks to the strong leadership demonstrated by Sen. Nick Gautreaux, and Representatives Walt Leger III, Erich Ponti, Cedric Richmond and Hunter Greene. As Louisiana's overall economy begins to improve as the nation recovers from the recession, let's work to make investment in our green economy a priority, so that we can all have a more sustainable and prosperous future. ~Beth Galante Monthly Panel Discussion Global Green is proud to partner with the United States Green Building Council, Louisiana Chapter and the American Institute of Architects, New Orleans Chapter to present a monthly panel series on issues of sustainability in the built environment. This month's panel discussion, hosted by the AIA, New Orleans Chapter: "A School Rising From The Debris of Katrina To Meet 2030 Challenge: Case Study - A Collaborative Green School Project in New Orleans by Two Architectural Firms" Hurricane Katrina imposed upon New Orleans challenges previously unknown in architecture and urban/community design. Recovery School District in New Orleans initiated the “Quick Start Schools” program to re-build five badly damaged schools and mandated LEED Silver as the goal. This presentation will demonstrate how a collaborative design team of two architectural firms achieved the first exemplary LEED school in an historically challenged community and exceeded AIA’s 2030 Challenge. Presentation led by Charles Montgomery, AIA. Introductions and Q&A session led by Brett Petry, AIA. Wednesday, August 26th Light refreshments will be served starting at 5:30pm, presentation begins promptly at 6pm.
___________________________________________________________________
Global Green City of New Orleans Carbon Report Earlier this year Global Green was hired to help the City of New Orleans draft a report based on findings from its second greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions inventory as part of its participation in the ICLEI (International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives) Cities for Climate Protection Campaign. Unlike most cities, New Orleans' carbon emissions are dramatically lower than they were ten years ago, thanks to the damage and diaspora caused by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Details on this unusual circumstance, the threat of climate change in our region, and what efforts are being made by the City and many other groups to reduce carbon emissions, are included in the final report, released at the end of July. The report has been well received as a critical benchmark and an essential component in developing a local Climate Action Plan, the next important milestone under the ICLEI program. See the entire report on our website: http://globalgreen.org/news/282 ....for the Green Economy! An important reminder that the Green Building Resource Center will be co-hosting a Home Energy Rater training on August 24th through 29th. The course will certify RESNET Home Energy Raters ( HERS Raters) throughout the state. The training and RATER certification is awarded by Residential Energy Services Network, known as RESNET. The course also includes three days of field work that will follow each week of classroom training. Upon successfully completing the first week of class, passing the RESNET Rater test on Saturday and the completion of the three days of field work, attendees will have met all of the requirements to obtain certification under RESNET as well as under the state-operated HERO program. LA Clean Tech Training For a full description of this exceptional training opportunity, please see our website: http://globalgreen.org/events/87 To register online for this and upcoming trainings at the Louisiana CleanTech website: http://www.lacleantech.net/.
Solar Financing News South Coast Solar is pleased to announce that it has secured both 12-Month or 18-Month No Money Down/No-Payment/Same As Cash Financing for Solar Enthusiasts throughout Louisiana. This innovative short-term financing program allows homeowners enough time to receive their state and federal tax incentives (up to 80% in Louisiana) before needing to secure permanent financing on the small remaining balance. For more information on this exciting financing opportunity, please visit www.southcoastsolar.com/financing ___________________________________________________________ Build It Back Green It’s an exciting time to be in New Orleans as part of a focused green movement, aimed at bringing our city back even better than before, and laying the foundation for a sustainable future. The Build It Back Green program works hard to get the message out to local homeowners that simple energy efficiency upgrades can lead to significant cost savings and substantial air quality improvements. At dozens of events and festivals and workshops around town, we answer questions from members of the community about green products, weatherization techniques, energy output and green jobs. We even do home visits to provide customized energy efficiency upgrade recommendations. Call us at 504-525-2121 if you’re interested in this service! Or come visit our Resource Center at 841 Carondelet for individual consultations. Watch this space for future stories highlighting more homeowners who have adopted energy efficiency practices! Build It Back Green in your community: Renaissance Market BIBG Presentation at ASI OC Haley Main St. Marketplace _______________________________________________________________
"Fighting Oil Addiction: Ranking States' Oil Vulnerability and Solutions for Change" has been released by the Natural Resources Defense Council. The report analyzes and ranks the 50 U.S. states according to their dependency on oil for transportation, based on fuel consumption and economic expenditure per driver. It then assesses the different policy options that each state is utilizing to combat oil dependency, including the amount of their transportation budget dedicated to mass transit options. The report found that many of the states that were most at risk from increasing oil prices were in the South or South Central states. In Mississippi, where drivers are the most vulnerable to gas prices, the percentage of drivers’ income spent on gasoline (9.14%) is nearly three times that of drivers in Connecticut, where drivers are the least vulnerable. DGA hopes this report leads to improved transportation policies for a better climate. Click here for the full report: http://www.nrdc.org/energy/states/files/states.pdf ________________________________________________________
School Rebuilding Boom Boosts New Orleans Economy Darren Simon, The Times-Picayune NEW ORLEANS - During the next five years, a flurry of public school construction projects, valued at about $700 million, will roll out in New Orleans, with the bulk of the tab paid through Federal Emergency Management Agency recovery funds. The construction boom promises a collection of energy- and storm-resistant "green" campuses with emphasis on such goals as improved air quality and increased use of daylight. That could transform New Orleans into a major player in a national movement, school officials and others say. As many as 20 campuses, most of them entirely new, included in the master plan's first phase could attain LEED, or Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, Silver certification, a coveted status in a rating system for environmentally sensitive buildings. The nonprofit U.S. Green Building Council set up the rating system. "It means we are investing in children, really for the first time in a long time, providing them with an environment in which they can excel -- and not just get by, " said Beth Galante, director of the New Orleans arm of Global Green USA, an environmental advocacy group. Galante said studies show that so-called green schools cost on average about 3 percent more than other schools to build, but a steady return on the investment can be seen in lower energy and water bills and in improved conditions for teaching. Global Green has contributed $720,000 toward construction costs at L.B. Landry High, a new-construction high school in Algiers, and at a renovated Andrew H. Wilson Elementary in Broadmoor. Financed by the Bush-Clinton Katrina Fund, the Global Green work at each of the schools will include solar panels, a wetland habitat and rainwater cisterns. While public and private school systems in Washington, D.C., Colorado and Los Angeles have led the way in using the new environmental designs, crumbling conditions -- especially in the wake of Katrina destruction -- found in New Orleans paved the way for a new generation of campuses. Read entire article: http://www.nola.com/education/index.ssf/2009/07/school_rebuilding_boom_boosts.html ____________________________________________________
White Roofs Catch On as Energy Cost Cutters Felicity Barringer, The New York Times All that changed last month. “Now we come home on days when it’s over 100 degrees outside, and the house is at 80 degrees,” Mr. Waldrep said. Their solution was a new roof: a shiny plasticized white covering that experts say is not only an energy saver but also a way to help cool the planet. Relying on the centuries-old principle that white objects absorb less heat than dark ones, homeowners like the Waldreps are in the vanguard of a movement embracing “cool roofs” as one of the most affordable weapons against climate change. Studies show that white roofs reduce air-conditioning costs by 20 percent or more in hot, sunny weather. Lower energy consumption also means fewer of the carbon dioxide emissions that contribute to global warming. What is more, a white roof can cost as little as 15 percent more than its dark counterpart, depending on the materials used, while slashing electricity bills. Click here to read entire article: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/30/science/earth/30degrees.html?_r=2&th&emc=th | |||||
|
Unsubscribe from email, or change your email preferences. Global Green USA | 2218 Main St. Los Angeles, CA. 90405 | 310-581-2700 | gbrc@globalgreen.org  |
