I watched this on Charlie Rose last night. Brad Pitt was interviewed and he talked about his efforts in rebuilding New Orleans using sustainable methods and products, all from the ground up. If you missed the program you can find out more on Make It Right. We can do it one community at a time.

To watch December 17th’s conversation with Charlie Rose and Brad Pitt tune in here:

Couple of professionals we have worked with in the past and highly recommend in the New Orleans area for Real Estate are Jeff Melancon and for your architectural needs, Rick Smith

They are crawfish experts as well!

From coast to coast, from sea to shining sea, across ponds and valleys businesses and elected officials are seriously tackling Green issues and taking the lead to put LEED into practice. Take a few moments to listen to NPR’s Morning Edition on Green and Leed. It is my desire to share so we can convince builders,manufacturers,policy makers,local and state PAC’s to make Green housing affordable and available to everyone.
Don’t forget to share your thoughts on the LEED story.

When you have built a home or other building using environmentally safe Green Building materials and products, you may be eligible for a LEED certification (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design). This group was created by the United States Green Building Council and the aim is to make all Green Building projects of the highest quality and ensure that all the necessary standards are being met to make it environmentally friendly. The LEED certification that you will receive if your building has a good enough rating comes in the form of a plaque stating that your building is a safe and healthy place to live or work in and that it is profitable and safe to the environment.
There are various types of LEED certification categories that you can enter into for certification. These include core and shell structures, schools, homes, new buildings and existing buildings. Most of the government departments also use LEED for their construction projects. Green Building is not only about preserving the environment and saving water as well as other resources, but it actually promotes a healthier lifestyle because you and your family will not be breathing in dangerous formaldehyde or other toxic compounds anymore.
The LEED certification is based on 4 levels from ‘certified’, which is the lowest level to ‘platinum’ status which is the highest level. It is easy to register for LEED online and if you think your building has everything that the LEED certification team of experts is looking for then you can benefit financially as well. The main aspects that LEED will look for in a Green Building is its sustainability , if it had low operating costs and a high asset value, if the amount of waste to the landfill was reduced by recycling or reusing certain parts, if it conserves water and energy (perhaps by having solar panels fitted), and whether it reduces harmful toxins and gas emissions. These are just some of the features that are taken into account when your LEED certification is underway.
There is a LEED rating checklist that you can view online that will outline all of the prerequisites that are necessary for a building to receive the minimum number of points for a certification. These prerequisites are given for each section or category that makes up LEED. After each party is happy with the ratings that were given and all, if any, appeals were reviewed, the LEED certification will be awarded.