Less than a mile from the nearly recovered French Quarter of New Orleans, snakes sleep under moldy carpets, and a foul wind whistles through the missing window panes of abandoned homes. Will home builders join in restoring this region to its rich heritage? Immense political, bureaucratic and psychological barriers stand in their way.

If you built houses no hurricane could knock down, and the technology only added $3000 to the price, would they sell?

After failing to stir up much enthusiasm for concrete as a more hurricane-resistant building material for housing, New Orleans-area concrete promoters are now racking up successes, and enlisting builders in their promotions.

Volatile lumber prices, sudden supply disruptions and rising environmental concerns have prompted many builders to take a look at alternative building materials.

Rock-solid walls allow for energy efficiency and fire resistance in homes. If fire swept through the rough pasture around this house the back deck might be a goner, but the house itself would have a better chance than most. Concrete walls make all the difference.

The building looks at least three months from completion: None of its siding, roof, porches, stairs or interior walls are in place. But even at this early stage, it's rewarding to see because this is a house with superior bones.

From the outside, the house on Third Street looks like most other modest homes in Sandusky. It's what you can't see that makes it unique, styrofoam, and a few other unconventional building materials.

Homes made of straw are drawing new interest for environmental and energy benefits.

ECO-Specialty Systems supplies materials to build residential walls that would make a feudal lord from the Dark Ages envious. Not only are the walls strong enough to withstand Mother Nature's meanest wind and water, but they could pay for themselves in energy savings.

This Mediterranean-style exterior home, with stucco walls, tile roof and custom ironwork has steel for the studs, frame and roof trusses, and steel reinforcing the slab as well. The result is an elegant home that is, literally, strong as steel in a hurricane-prone environment.