The Greening of Greensburg

Posted on May 2, 2008
Tag(s): Green Building, Cities | | Email this

The small, Midwestern town of Greensburg, Kansas, was devastated by a tornado a year ago and has been rebuilding to greener standards ever since.

With expectations of boosting the local economy, protecting the environment, and saving money on utility bills, residents and town officials have recognized the opportunity to rebuild numerous homes and other buildings to high performance green standards. In fact, all city-owned buildings larger than 4000 sq ft will be built to achieve LEED Platinum (the highest level of) certification from the U.S. Green Building Council. Local businesses, like the John Deere and General Motors dealerships, are building green too. The town even plans to generate 100% of its electricity from clean, renewable resources (like solar and wind) eventually.

Many builders are taking advantage of tax credits for building homes that are at least 30% more energy-efficient than homes built to standard code. Architects and engineers from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) have provided technical assistance to homeowners and non-profit housing organizations. It looks like the town is well on its way to becoming a green model for other cities across the country.

The Sundance Channel is displaying a 5-part webisode series depicting the town’s trials and tribulations since the natural disaster.

Source: USA TODAY