Sustainable Recovery of New Orleans' Lower 9th Ward

New Orleans' Lower 9th Ward (L9W) was devastated by Hurricane Katrina in 2005 and has been slow to recover. The L9W has less than one-quarter of its pre-Katrina population, compared to more than three-quarters for the rest of the city. The L9W has committed to recovering from Hurricane Katrina in a sustainable manner. In 2007, the Holy Cross Neighborhood Association established the Lower 9th Ward Center for Sustainable Engagement and Development (CSED), with the objective of encouraging sustainable economic development and stimulating civic engagement. Specifically, CSED has expressed a goal of creating a prosperous, sustainable community that is carbon-neutral by 2020 and climate-neutral by 2030. Faculty and students from Lafayette College have been working with CSED since 2009 to study the carbon impacts of L9W repopulation and economic development alternatives and identify the most cost-effective means of mitigating such impacts. The study estimated the current carbon footprint of the L9W and forecasted future footprints under alternative repopulation and development scenarios. Mitigation necessary to meet targets defined by CSED and the Obama administration was investigated, and mitigation costs were estimated. Potential mitigation measures included behavioral changes as well as development of new homes and neighborhoods according to sustainability guidelines; installation of solar photovoltaic panels; installation of solar hot water heaters; installation of insulation and new doors and windows; installation of high-efficiency mechanical and electrical systems; and development of open spaces, among others.