Louisiana Speaks Green Design Guidelines

Louisiana Speaks was a multifaceted planning process to develop a sustainable, long-term vision for Southern Louisiana in the wake of the destruction caused by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. The effort was designed to combine the efforts of local, state and federal partners along with many experts, stakeholders and citizens into a comprehensive approach.

The Louisiana Speaks process included planning for:

• Individual homeowners and businesses through the development of a toolkit for green and affordable residential and commercial architecture

• Neighborhoods and parishes through local design charrettes, supported by Long-Term Community Recovery Teams

• The region with a long term, 25 year proposal

Jonathan Rose Companies developed green design guidelines for two public documents, a pattern book, and a planning toolkit that were distributed to homeowners, builders, residential manufacturers, lenders, and surrounding communities.

In response to the unique and diverse architectural vernacular of southern Louisiana, the user-friendly green guidelines focus on traditional architectural details that are climatically responsive and energy efficient. Jonathan Rose Companies, in collaboration with the Enterprise Community Partners of the Enterprise Foundation, also incorporated affordable housing finance programs and mechanisms into the planning process and subsequent recommendations offered in a Pattern Book and a Planning Toolkit.