New Orleans, Louisiana
In 2009, Craig Elementary School in New Orleans installed a 26.5-kilowatt solar photovoltaic system—one of the largest solar systems in the city.
Courtesy of South Coast Solar, LLC
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) are helping New Orleans, Louisiana, incorporate energy efficiency into rebuilding efforts after being devastated by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.
On August 29, 2005, Hurricane Katrina, the single largest catastrophe in U.S. history, struck the Gulf Coast, flooding 80% of New Orleans and causing $89.6 billion in damages. Three weeks later, the city was hit again by Hurricane Rita.
DOE and NREL focused their assistance efforts to New Orleans in the specific areas listed below. You can also read more in the Integrated Deployment: Disaster Recovery fact sheet.
K-12 Schools 
Design new schools that are 30% more efficient than code by performing energy modeling and audits, monitoring energy use, and recommending efficiency strategies to save costs and reduce energy consumption.
Homes
Develop cost-neutral energy-efficient design recommendations that encourage home builders to meet efficiency goals while constructing affordable homes and address the unique building challenges in New Orleans' hot-humid climate.
Energy Policy
Evaluate the costs, benefits, and impacts of various energy efficiency and renewable technology energy policy options and report the findings to local government and stakeholders.
Related Deployment Efforts
Support related efforts in the city to implement energy efficiency and renewable energy technologies, such as replacing municipal buses lost in Katrina with biodiesel-fueled buses and reducing barriers to solar energy use.
Read publications about incorporating energy efficiency and renewable energy technologies into energy planning, energy policy, homes, and schools. Find related links to helpful information.