Unique "green" designs create ordinary community in Greensburg
9:08 p.m. Friday, May 2, 2008
For many, devastating memories of what happened in Greensburg last May still remain.
“We were right in the middle of our basement huddled together with my wife and our cat and dog,” said Bob Dixxon, Greensburg resident.
But that hasn't slowed down the city's progress.
“If you look over my shoulder at the brand new water tower, what a beacon of hope to the community,” he said.
And giving them even more hope is the sound of construction crews building new energy efficient homes.
“These are the best of times in Greensburg,” Dixxon said.
Sebelius on Greensburg
Click the photo to listen to Gov. Kathleen Sebelius' message to Kansans as the one-year anniversary of the Greensburg tornado nears.
Lawrence designer Michael Morley is the creative mind behind one "green home."
It uses structural insulated panels to create a thermal shell for the building.
While it may stand out from others now, once it's finished, Morley says it'll fit right in with the city.
“All the materials and pieces come with it and it goes together pretty much as a kit, a big jigsaw puzzle,” Morley said.
The Geodesic dome-styled building will be the new home to a family of four. Its green features will cost them only a dollar a day to heat and cool.
Getting to that point cost homeowners thousands of dollars more to build than a normal home, but Mayor John Janssen says it's worth it in the end.
His friend is building an energy efficient home with a safe house in the basement and walls made of concrete and Styrofoam.
“The walls themselves are rated to 200 mph winds,” he said. “You may lose the roof but the house will stay put.”
But no matter the cost, the community is taking a stand together as they slowly rise from tragedy to triumph.
“This has given us a new appreciation for the simpler things in life we take for granted,” said Dixxon.
Morley says he's not confident the dome-home would withstand the power of a tornado, but says he has designed buildings that have made it through hurricanes.
A special guest
Graduation is always special, but for seniors in Greensburg, it's doubly sweet. President Bush is their guest of honor and gives the commencement address Sunday. Bush visited the town just days after the storm. A White House Spokeswoman says Bush is pleased to go back.
Comments
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May. 2, 2008 at 10:36 p.m. (Suggest removal)JeanSC (anonymous)
I wouldn't trust SIPs in tornadoes. The "dome-home" would withstand the power of a tornado - if it were a Monolithic Dome. As for the home whose walls are made of concrete and Styrofoam, there are roof systems which are better than average in high winds, but I'd suggest Amvic ICFs because this manufacturer offers a horizontal member for ceilings & floors, to go with its walls. Had the leaders of rebuilding taken my offer and, among other things, put tornado-resistant construction at the top of the priority list, I wouldn't be writing this.
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