Support CSED on GiveNOLA Day, May 5, 2015

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
CSED Radiant Barrier and
Weatherization Fact Sheet
The CSED’s Radiant Barrier (RB) and Weatherization programs coordinated by the CSED, for Lower 9th 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 9th 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:
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.
A little snapshot of the good times we had on Saturday. Thanks to all who came out, and we hope to continue to have your support as we move forward. The vision of the Lower Ninth Ward Food Access Coalition is availability of fresh, quality food that is convenient and affordable to everyone in the Lower Ninth Ward.
Congratulations to Kathy Muse, CSED Program
Coordinator, who recently received a certificate from LSU AgCenter for
successfully completing the required hours of classroom and field
instruction in their Master Gardener Program! Topics in this course of
instruction included palms & cyads, botany & plant propagation,
basic entomology & plant pathology, weed science, soils, pesticides
& the environment, vegetable, herb & organic gardening, home
fruit & nut production, lawn care, ornamental horticulture,
diagnostic keys to urban plant problems, and pest detection. The Master
Gardener Handbook which is a research-based resource for this class is
available at the CSED office for use by the community.
To learn more about the LSU AgCenter Master Gardener Program visit www.lsuagcenter.com
Are you sodding a new lawn, planting trees, flowers, shrubs, or a vegetable garden? Soil has everything to do with the vitality of your lawn and garden. If you like Azaleas for example, a high pH (basic soil) will never permit that stunning spring foliage. A soil with insufficient nutrients will not support a robust garden. The time to test and amend your soil is before problems arise so your plants will flourish. Be sure and test for heavy metals if you are planning to eat what you grow.
Soil testing is offered by LSU Ag Center for an affordable fee. Find out more online at www.lsuagcenter.com/stpal or contact the local ag center office at (504) 658-2900.
I am delighted to report that I have been
accepted into LSU AgCenter's Louisiana
Master Gardener Program. "This program is a
volunteer training program designed for
individuals who have an interest in gardening,
want to learn more about it, and then give
back to their community." For more
information about this & other LSU AgCenter
programs or for research-based, up-to-date
regional gardening advice, visit
www.lsuagcenter.com
I look forward to sharing this experience with the Lower 9th Ward Community!
A recent initiative of the City of New Orleans to address blight in the Lower 9th Ward and create jobs is showing great promise in combating one of the more aggravating problems we face in our neighborhood – severely overgrown vacant lots and the debris that they attract. The Lot Maintenance Pilot Program has cut over 700 lots in the Lower 9 since it began in October – more than 10% of all property in the neighborhood. In one week in December, 100 lots were cut in the Lower 9. Compare this to the 15 lots that were cut in the city as a whole through the INAP program in the first two weeks of December!
In addition, of the twelve people hired to implement the program, half are exoffenders and more than half are residents of the lower 9. Representatives of the city met with representatives of Lower 9 neighborhood organizations to identify priority areas for attention. Some of the areas targeted to address safety and health concerns are major corridors, areas where children and seniors congregate and catch the bus, and areas that obstruct the vision of drivers.
If you drive through areas in the neighborhood where these lots are, the difference is quite striking. At the last BlightSTAT meeting, it was reported that the city’s remaining funds for the project would enable it to cut another 200-300 lots. Liens are not attached to the property for this service. So if you live next to a severely overgrown lot or are aware of a particular lot that creates a problem for the neighborhood, call the CSED, 324-9955. We will try to get it added to the priority list for cutting. This is one program that we should encourage the City to continue!
Download Lotclearingmap Here is a map of some of the lots that have been cut. You can click on the link to go directly to the city’s website where this and other useful data on sheriff sales and code lien enforcement is located.
Founded in 2006, the Lower 9th Ward Center for Sustainable Engagement and Development (CSED) works to stimulate civic engagement, repopulate, sustain natural systems, assist community leadership and preserve resources in the Lower 9th Ward neighborhoods.
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Lower 9th Ward Center for Sustainable
Engagement & Development
5130 Chartres Street
New Orleans, LA 70117
P: 504.324.9955
Executive Director
Arthur Johnson
Program Coordinator & Urban Farm Manager
Kathy Muse
Volunteer Coordinator
Warrenetta Banks
Energy Efficiency & Urban Farm Coordinator
Vincent Fedeli
Food Planning Coordinator
Jenga Mwendo
Wetland Specialist
John Taylor
Energy Efficiency Apprentice
Charles Reddick
Food Planning Organizer
Beverly Jackson
Bill Waiters, Chair, Lower Ninth Ward
Austin Allen, Louisiana State University
Antoinette Ackerson, Lower Ninth Ward
Calvin Alexander, Lower Ninth Ward
William Becker, E3G, Natural Capitalism Solutions
M. David Lee, Harvard Graduate School of Design, Stull and Lee Inc.
Dave Macaulay, Green ArchiTEXT
Darryl Malek-Wiley, Sierra Club
Greer Mendy, Tekrema Center for Art and Culture
Earthea Nance, Texas Southern University
J.W. Tatum, Lower Ninth Ward