LEE H. NELSON HALL
Natchitoches, Louisiana
Listed in the National Register of Historic Places
Lee H. Nelson Hall was originally constructed in 1923 and designed by the firm Favrot and Livaudais, architects who were responsible for numerous downtown New Orleans buildings, and other public buildings around Louisiana. The structure served as a classroom building and activity center for female physical education students on the campus of what is now Northwestern State University (NSU). Once the Hall was no longer large enough to serve the student body, it was closed, and its uses were moved a new building that was completed in 1970.
After 30 years of use as a storage facility, a new department of the National Park Service, the National Center for Preservation Technology and Training was located in the building in 2001. The goal of NCPTT is to “use technology to serve the future of America’s heritage through applied research and professional training.”
BAC/A+P in joint venture with Apollo BBC from Houston is developing and managing, “The Greening Plan,” a Sustainability Management Plan for the building which includes running eco-charrettes and conducting an energy audit to achieve the following goals of NCPTT:
1. Improve the energy and resource performance of the Lee H. Nelson Hall and decrease the costs of utility bills.
2. Provide training to NCPTT staff which engages them in the sustainable stewardship decisions for the building and site, and provides experience with LEED EB:O&M and the eco-charrette format.
3. Advance the leadership role of NCPTT in sustainable stewardship and preservation by providing a model project for “greening” the maintenance procedures of NCPTT’s historic building.
Client: National Center for Preservation Training & Technology
Eco-charrette in the conference room of the Lee H. Nelson Hall.
Front elevation of the Lee H. Nelson Hall.
Front elevation of Lee H. Nelson Hall.
Rear elevation of Lee H. Nelson Hall.
Exterior view of whole building blower door test, 2nd floor of Lee H. Nelson Hall.
Setting up the whole building blower door test, 2nd floor historic gymnasium space, Lee H. Nelson Hall.
Observing energy loss with an infrared device.
Sample image of energy loss at a typical window in the Lee H. Nelson Hall from the infrared camera.
Discussing the goals of the whole building blower door test.
Front elevation of the Lee H. Nelson Hall, photograph courtesy of NCPTT.
