By bringing City buildings up to LEED Gold standards, as the federal government and school board have done with their buildings in New Orleans, we will reduce energy demand, alleviate stress on our overburdened grid, and lower the City’s carbon footprint.
New Orleans is both a city particularly vulnerable to a changed climate, and one with enormous opportunity for gains in energy efficiency and green building. The historic character of New Orleans does not mean that we must rely on the building standards of the 19th century. Sustainable building is an act of preservation, and it is time for New Orleans’ municipal building stock to meet contemporary standards.
