Putting the "Green" in Greensburg: A Tornado-Ravaged Town Reinvents Itself
Can a small Kansas town leveled by a twister revive its fortunes by becoming an energy-efficient, eco-conscious community?
Putting the "Green" in Greensburg: A Tornado-Ravaged Town Reinvents Itself
- TOWARD NEW STANDARDS NREL project manager Lynn Billman, intern Alexander Dane, and architect–engineer John K. Holton have been offering Greensburg guidance on rebuilding the town’s businesses and homes to be highly energy-efficient as well as consulting on the adoption of a green building code... EMILY GERTZ/© SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN
- DUDE, WHERE'S MY CAR? The Silo eco-home was much further along by the time GreenTown and Armour Homes dropped a car on it from a height of 60 feet, on April 9, 2009. The stunt demonstrated that the home could withstand a 160,000-pound impact on its roof or side -- a useful quality in a region prone to tornadoes... EMILY GERTZ/© SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN
- A STRONG SILO Florida-based Armour Homes has designed and built the Silo. The home is being built using materials and techniques similar to those used for grain silos; its concrete walls and cylindrical shape will give it the strength to resist winds up to 200 miles (320 kilometers) per hour... EMILY GERTZ/© SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN
- RENOVATING THE ROBINETT The S. D. Robinett Building, built in 1915, was the only structure in Greensburg’s business district to survive the May 2007 tornado. Owners Gary and Erica Goodman hope to operate an antiques store on the first floor and live on the second... EMILY GERTZ/© SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN
- ARTS AND EFFICIENCY The 5.4.7 Arts Center, located in the center of Greensburg, is Kansas's first LEED Platinum building. Designed and built by University of Kansas architecture students, it gets energy from three 600-watt wind turbines connected to a bank of batteries, along with photovoltaic panels on the roof... EMILY GERTZ/© SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN
- A MAYOR'S SENSE OF RESPONSIBILITY Bob Dixson, mayor of Greensburg, believes that although going green will improve the town's economy, "the main thing is that it's the right, prudent, responsible thing to do. It's about being good stewards of the resources that we've been blessed with on this Earth."... EMILY GERTZ/© SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN
- ECOTOURISM IN KANSAS? Daniel Wallach, founder and director of Greensburg GreenTown, hopes to fund and build 12 homes, each featuring different architecture and green features. He envisions Greensburg as an ecotourist destination for people who want to book stays at the homes and "try on" green living... EMILY GERTZ/© SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN
