Cenetr For Community Renewal

In 2001, a 16-story building in downtown Shreveport, La. – the former Petroleum Tower – was donated to Community Renewal International for the purpose of serving as the headquarters of the Center for Community Renewal. In a wonderful parable of renewal, this building, consisting of 144,000 square feet, along with an additional 120,000 square feet of new construction, will become the largest net-zero energy building in Louisiana. Through the architectural firm of Morgan, Hill, Sutton and Mitchell, the new self-sustaining building will qualify as a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Platinum Building, the highest rating possible for building green.

The first phase of work added another chapter of renewal, as men and women who had been displaced to Shreveport by Hurricane Katrina found personal renewal as they were trained and then employed to work on the building. More than two dozen recruits were trained in construction demolition and asbestos abatement by Southern University-Shreveport. They were then hired by ALTEC Environmental for the demolition of interior walls and removal of asbestos, completing the job three months ahead of schedule and under budget.

“I did not know why I was up here, and then I got this job and made new friends and learned a trade and now the sky is the limit for me,” said Peter Thorn, one of the evacuees who made a new start in Shreveport. “I’ve learned another skill and that has afforded me the opportunity to further my job search. I can do almost anything now.”

Innovative sustainable features in the building include:

• Solar photovoltaic panels, as well as use of wind, biodiesel and geothermal energy
• Maximized use of natural light
• Recycled wastewater system
• Energy efficient, recycled and local building materials
• Hydroponic rooftop garden to increase usable space and improve insulation

CRI, in partnership with the University of Texas School of Architecture and their Center for Sustainable Development and Design, under the co-direction of Professor Michael Garrison, has committed the building itself to become a resource for training others in the Green Building movement.

The headquarters will house a 273-room lodging facility for participants attending CRI conferences or training sessions. It will also provide the training, administrative and program offices for Community Renewal International and its affiliates.

Artist renderings of the National Center: