Julie Groth is a former building contractor in residential construction. She has a special expertise in the rehabilitation of historic houses. Over the course of 20 years she successfully renovated more than 150 houses in New Orleans, which is famed for its gorgeous historic homes.

After retiring from contracting, she ventured into the development industry, founding a business that concentrated on building new houses for sale and remodeling ones to hold for rental. She also acted as a designer and project manager for others (developers and homeowners).​

Along the way, she:

Maintained licenses as a residential and a commercial contractor, completing a wide variety of project types: new houses, historic old homes, basic ranch-style, modular houses (setting two halves with a crane!) and light commercial.

​Became a “Certified Green Professional” through NAHB (National Association of Home Builders).

​Julie’s first green remodel of a historic cottage earned a spot on the National Tour of Green Homes at the 2008 Green Building Conference-NAHB. It showcased a unique retrofitted drainage plane using a rain screen, which Julie helped develop, along with the LSU Ag (Louisiana State University Agricultural Center) building science department. She gained national notoriety, mostly in industry publications. Local press also caught the green building craze during this time, see press mentions below.

Happily the team successfully devised a more affordable version of the initial drainage plane, that was used broadly, by local contractors, in post-Katrina renovations.

After Katrina, you can imagine the demand for housing! She had a critical role as Director of Construction for Habitat for Humanity, supervising the construction of new houses within a large subdivision, which relied heavily on volunteer labor, to quickly get people into much needed homes.

Julie persisted in her thorough investigation of housing performance, diving into topics such as moisture control and airflow dynamics. Fortunately, she had the opportunity to train alongside topnotch building science experts who are well-known throughout the southern region.

As a side gig and to satisfy her love of teaching, she developed and taught construction and building science through two universities.

1. Julie would periodically convey her expertise on topics such as green building, energy efficiency, and best practices at LSU’s clinics for building professionals.

​2. Administrators at Sophie Newcomb Memorial College (which is a part of Tulane University), decided that a class was needed to help train college students who wanted to volunteer in the rebuilding efforts. Newcomb wanted to make sure its students were safe as well as effective while doing hands-on construction. Thus the “Sophie the Riveter” class was born, it focused on the empowerment of young women and hands-on construction training.

The class volunteered its labor to homeowners who were experiencing issues due to a lack of appropriate insurance coverage to complete their homes. We’d show up and help rebuild someone’s home.

The girls absolutely loved it when we met at Lowes, at the beginning of the semester, where everyone bought a new tool belt – a class requirement!

Below is a fun look at the class. You will see action shots. Lunch breaks. A much younger me. And…the tearful, grateful owner thanking everyone at the end of the day.

PRESS

Gambit Weekly, “The Green Issue”
March 11, 2008
By David Winkler-Schmit

“Contractor Julie Groth has learned much about green building since taking on the renovations of this house for homeowner Shannan Cvitanovic. The walls are insulated with a rain screen system that allows moisture to drain, which inhibits mold from growing inside the walls. The home also will have a dual-flush commode, formaldehyde-free cabinets and energy efficient appliances.”

“She has taken a number of courses in green construction and recently became…designated by the National Association of Home Builders as a Certified Green Professional.”

The Times-Picayune, “Inside/Out”
March 8, 2008

Julie also teaches a class at Tulane University/Newcomb College. Groth, an 18 year veteran of home renovation, was drawn to the idea of women in nontraditional roles, especially construction. She is shown in the issue published by teaching students how to build a deck outside of a Katrina-flooded shotgun house.: “Julie Groth has an “I can do it attitude” which is conveyed in her teaching and her renovation of homes.”

The Times Picayune
May 10, 2008
By Molly Reid, staff writer

A Retrofit the right way
For contractor Julie Groth, the renovation of a historic single shotgun in Mid-City has taken green-building skill level from novice to specialist. The owner wanted a green retrofit, and Groth was interested in sustainable rebuilding, so the project “set off a process of learning green”, she said.
Groth now considers herself a full-fledged green builder…

LA (Los Angeles) Times
“Pardon Our Dust” Blog
By Kathy Price-Robinson
May 8, 2008

City Business
By Ariella Cohen
May 12, 2008

New Orleans Homes & Lifestyles
By Paul A. Greenberg
May, 2008