Shooting Elevations with Big Jim

Welcome to the future Sustainable Engagement and Development Center - 5227 Chartres Street - Lower 9th Ward.  Big Jim and I took lazer level measurments of the Chartres house to determine how level the house was.  Largest difference in measurments was 2 1/2 inches.  Not bad! 

Big Jim determined that 6 new piers need to be built under the house because of spans over 7 feet.  Work is underway with the gracious help of volunteers  from West Virgina! 

Rochester Mission Group Rocks!

We would like to extend great gratitude to the Rochester Mission Group from Rochester, New York which included hard-working volunteers from Webster, Greece & Ogden Baptist Churches. Just look at what they helped us to accomplish  at our 4819 Dauphine Street Community Orchard in just TWO DAYS!!

Donated ginger was planted along the perimeter French drain which they dug & filled with broken brick pieces unearthed from the soil.  The French drain will redirect runoff into the soon-to-be-built rain garden.  Along with general debris & trash removal, the first entrance pathway was created using broken brick, cement, & recycled roofing slate.  

Holes were dug & measured & nine fruit trees were planted, watered, & mulched.  Neighbors will be able to enjoy the harvest from 2 Satsumas, 2 Ruby Red Grapefruit, 2 Blood Orange, 2 Meyers Lemon, & 1 Persian Lime!  Dreams do come true.   

The efforts of many continue to bear fruit as countless volunteers generously keep coming to help us rebuild & grow our community.

Related articles

Our Dream Is Becoming A RealityDouble Entry to Plants Galorehttp://www.lsuagcenter.com/en/lawn_garden/home_gardening/fruits_nuts/Louisiana+Home+Citrus+Production.htm

Double Entry to Plants Galore

Thanks to a generous donation of a truckload of plants by Mr. Harold Applewhite of Harold's Indoor & Outdoor Plants (at Press & St Claude) http://www.bestofneworleans.com/gambit/harolds-indoor-outdoor-plants/Content?oid=1672363, our blight beautification project at 4819 Dauphine Street has received a major enhancement! We've planted camelias at the entrance, red tipped photinias along the future pathway and we've outlined the space for a rain garden.  A nod to the historical streetface has been given by the creation of a dual entry to the garden reminiscent of the original 4817-19 Dauphine Street double shotgun that existed on this lot.   Additional beds for the fruits trees have been staked and double dug http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FPeAvYrfKkU in an effort to improve the aeration of the soil and to facilitate root penetration.  Our dream for a community orchard continues to unfold :)                                                       

Related articles

Our Dream Is Becoming A Reality

Lower 9th Ward "Views"

Our Dream Is Becoming A Reality

Our Dreams of an Orchard Project at 4819 Dauphine Street is coming true.  Acquisition, design, implementation, & resource foraging continues to be driven & accomplished with great enthusiasm by CSED staff Kathy Muse, Vincent Fedeli, Charles Reddick, & John Taylor aided by significant input & assistance from surrounding neighbors.  This blight beautification effort was made possible through Louis Lauricella's donation of this vacant lot to the CSED. We are grateful to Mr. Lauricella & to Stephanie Bruno who acted as liason.

Check out our recent progress.  Before the bobcat work began, trees cleared from the overgrown lot were chipped to provide mulch. Excellent bobcat services were provided by Troy Moore who lives right around the corner! He was assisted by CSED staff members Vincent & Kathy.  The never-ending debris was unearthed, a neighbor's damaged fence was removed along with a very tough & extensive poison ivy vine (ouch!), and a neighbor's clothesline pole was righted for future use:

Community members stopped by to help out:

Wood chips were relocated, grass was removed, soil was graded with a slight downward slope to the left for drainage into a future french drain.  Troy surveys his work thus far:

River sand was delivered, dumped & graded to cap the lead soil where the planter boxes will be built.  Two trailer loads of debris were hauled away. Kudos to neighbor & friend Troy Moore for a job well done!

 

5227 Chartres Street Property Donated to CSED

We would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to Mrs. Nelvie Mae Hamilton Winter for the generous donation of her former home at 5227 Chartres Street to the CSED. Mrs. Winter's contribution will support and enhance our mission of rebuilding the Lower 9th Ward in a more sustainable way.  Our goal is to renovate this property and use it as an educational model to illustrate how to affordably retrofit a historic house for maximum energy efficiency.  We also plan to create a mini-orchard in the backyard that will provide educational opportunities and fresh, local food for our community. This Sustainable Engagement & Development Center will be a resource for green living in the Lower 9th Ward.

GW Law Students Lend a Hand in The L9

This week George Washington University Law students volunteer with CSED to help L9 community members rebuild.  Pictured above, 4 students fill a 50 gallon water catchment drum to be transported to 4819-17 Dauphine for CSED's Dreams of An Orchard Project. 

CSED Hosts Green Corps Students for Training in Radiant Barrier Installation

The CSED hosted Green Corps students last week for training in radiant barrier installation at Mr. Sidney Butler's house. Mr. Butler became the 142nd Lower 9th Ward property owner to save energy & increase his comfort by having radiant barrier installed in his attic by the CSED. http://www.sustainthenine.org/programs/built-environment/radiant-barriers-weatherization    LA Green Corps is a youth & adult training program working to preserve both our environment & architectural integrity in the Greater New Orleans area.  Over 400 students have graduated from their programs.  http://www.lagreencorps.org/

Become a Part of the "Radiant Nine"

If you are a property owner in the Lower 9th Ward, you too can become part of the "Radiant Nine." 

A radiant barrier can be installed at any time, before or after your house is renovated and occupied.  All you need is a roof in good condition.

You can sign up online http://www.sustainthenine.org/programs/built-environment/radiant-barriers-weatherization  or

Call Kathy Muse at 939-9028 or 324-9955 for more information.  You can also come by the CSED office at 5130 Chartres Street, New Orleans LA 70117, Tuesday through Saturday 10am - 4pm.

Sustain the Nine!  River to Bayou

RB Program Good for Residents & Environment

CSED Radiant Barrier and Weatherization Fact Sheet

The CSED’s Radiant Barrier (RB) and Weatherization programs coordinated by the CSED, for Lower 9^th Ward property owners, has dramatically increased residents’ quality of life and in some cases resulted in utility savings of up to 40%.

Home Energy Assessments (HEA) are part of this program.  HEA’s inform homeowners of any health and safety issues in the home and provide written information on how to further increase energy efficiency. 

Priority for the RB program is given to seniors. 

CSED’s RB program includes community outreach efforts that inform residents of other CSED programs and projects, events happening in their neighborhood, and available community resources.

The CSED RB Program was initially established in 2007 in partnership with Sierra Club and Alliance for Affordable Energy.   LA Green Corps, Historic Green, AmeriCorps, and hundreds of volunteers have been contributing partners, as well as Lower 9^th Ward property owners, who make a donation toward cost of RB materials. The RB Program continues to be a major CSED service to the community with two certified Home Energy Raters on staff to perform home energy assessments and radiant barrier installations thus increasing our quality control.  

CSED’s Basic Weatherization Program was started in partnership with Alliance for Affordable Energy, and Sierra Club.  Contributing partners have included LA Green Corps, Historic Green, AmeriCorps, Global Green and Nurtured World.

CSED Radiant Barrier /Weatherization Program Numbers as of October 31, 2012:

• Educational, qualitative, Home Energy Assessments (HEA) have been performed on 214 homes.
• Radiant Barrier has been installed in 138 homes in the Lower 9^th Ward.  (Radiant Barrier saves approximately 10% annually on homeowners utility bills, increases comfort, and reduces CO2 emissions).
• Ducts have been sealed on 19 homes.  (Houses that receive duct sealing reduce energy consumption by 16% and save more than $80 a year).
• Weatherizations have been performed on 72 homes. 
• Currently, 7 homes have been assessed and are pending installation of Radiant Barrier.  41 applicants are pending home energy assessments.
• CSED Radiant Barrier/Weatherization Program has potential to serve over 2,000 homes in the Lower 9. (2010 Census verified 2,101 households in the Lower 9^th Ward )

Calculated savings for homes with R19 attic insulation and receive RB and Duct Sealing from the CSED.

*Radiant Barrier and Duct Sealing calculated annual savings for a 1,540-ft2 house with uninsulated ducts in the attic

Original Attic Modification	R19 Attic Insulation				Code-Level Attic     Insulation
Attic System Modification	Add RB, Improve Ducts, Add Insulation	Add RB, Improve Ducts	Add RB, and Insulation	Add RB	Add RB, Improve Ducts	Add RB
Miami	$460	$430	$180	$140	$410	$120
New Orleans	$730	$670	$240	$150	$610	$120
Atlanta	$670	$600	$200	$80	$540	$70
Baltimore	$1,210	$1,070	$320	$80	$950	$60
Chicago	$1,150	$1,020	$280	$60	$910	$40

*Based on Oak Ridge National Laboratories (ORNL).  ORNL is a multiprogram science and technology laboratory managed for the U.S. Department of Energy.