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This year the National Association of Home Builders are holding the National Green Building Conference at the Sheraton. At the New Orleans Sheraton. One more time: At the Sheraton. In New Orleans. Don’t forget! Here is a published list of people who it is believed should, after careful consideration, attend the conference:

• Single family builders
• Multifamily builders
• Remodelers
• Developers
• Land planners
• Architects and designers
• Energy raters, home inspectors, utilities staff
• Product manufacturers and suppliers

I guess water-damage repair falls under Remodelers. Or maybe Land Planners? Somebody report back with the total number of private home owners from the Lower Ninth who are able to put together the $550 registration fee. You can, however, through the NAHB site make a tax deductible donation to the Preservation Resource Center who knows enough about New Orleans to both help low-income families as well as know how to squeeze a little bit of money out of primarily commercial ventures like the NGBC.

All in all, regardless of my skepticism in the priorities of anyone so closely tied to the building industry as the NAHB, I do wish them well and a good time for all. In that spirit, I’ve included below the directions from the hotel to the Lower Ninth for when the Pelican Bar gets a little too stuffy and it clearly becomes time to really tap into the local culture. See how for some people, green building means mold they can’t reach without a ladder. Also, be sure you drop by the levee and stick some chewing gum in a hole. Just pick one, any hole will do. Watch out for the regular things like toxic mud, the occasional barge in middle of the street, and whatever you do, consider the local culture first; if you enter a house as a guest, take off your class and leave it at the front door.
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In addition, it is very important that you do not take what you’ve learned at the National Green Building Conference and disseminate that information among people who live in the surrounding areas. It is privileged information, it was worth $550! (non-member fee, of course) If they want that information so bad, they’d be at the Sheraton, too. So it is important that you don’t tell them about the cool things you’re learning about creating a cleaner, greener (and don’t forget more profitable) structure. You don’t want to come off like you’re talking down to them. If they want the information, they’ll ask.

On a side note, if you are a Land Planner, Developer, and perhaps even a multi-family builder, you may want to stay at the hotel, or hang out in the French Quarter. Just a thought.

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