The first two MIT New Orleans Fellows have arrived for the summer. This is the third summer MIT's Department of Urban Studies and Planning sponsored student work in the Big Easy. This year there are five of us dispersed to community groups around the city. I'll let the other fellows introduce themselves and their projects as they arrive and get to work. For now, here is some background on me and Fabourge St. Roch Project (FSRP).
This summer I am working with to develop a business plan for a building technology FSRP hopes to introduce to the St. Roch neighborhood. Thermal Coupling is a passive thermal design that reduces the need for air conditioning and heat to control the inside temperature of the building. In New Orleans, where temperature swings are not that great, the big culprit is humidity. By reducing the level of moisture in the home, Thermal Coupling greatly reduces the energy expended to maintain a comfortable living environment. Great idea, right?
Well, now the question is how to educate the general public and the building trades about this style of building (particularly now when basically everyone is doing some sort of construction work on their home). The materials for Thermal Coupling are readily available at any building supply store and the retrofit is a moderately difficult do-it-yourself project. Check back through out the summer to learn more!
For now, back to work at my "summer office": The Orange Couch Coffee Shop
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