Brad Pitt visited the site of an environmentally friendly home where work is in progress, to see how the restoration of the devastated Lower Ninth Ward of New Orleans is coming along.

Brad Pitt was busy Tuesday morning with one of his charity projects that he has been working on in collaboration with the environmental organization Global Green USA. In 2006, the actor and the organization launched a competition that would lead to the ongoing restoration of Holy Cross section of the Lower 9th Ward.

Pitt visited the environmentally friendly construction project, where the first house of five set to be built there is being raised. The eco-friendly houses follow the design of Matthew Berman and Andrew Kotchen of Workshop APD in New York, who participated in the competition launched by Pitt and Global Green USA.

“This home proves we can build more thoughtfully, affordably and provide a better quality of life for the families within,” the 43-year-old Academy Award nominated actor said in a statement.

In an interview with Ann Curry that will air today and Thursday on NBC's “Today,” Pitt said: “This is an important city. It's important to us culturally. It's also an important city to us economically.”

“I know a lot of the people here,” Pitt added. “I care very much for the area. I see a great responsibility.”

His presence, as well as that of Global Green USA and main financial partner, Home Depot Foundation, marked the second anniversary of Hurricane Katrina.

Brad and partner Angelina Jolie own a home in New Orleans’ French Quarter, where they spend time with their four children. Angelina did not attend Tuesday’s tour.

Brad was chairman of the design competition for the homes. The winning design features solar panels to generate its own electricity, “green” building products and energy-efficient systems. The total development will include five three-bedroom single-family homes, an apartment complex and a community center.

“It's wonderful to see actual building happening here,” said Pam Dashiell, who helped select architects Matthew Berman and Andrew Kotchen.

The first “green” house in Holy Cross is expected to be finished by next month.

Brad Pitt told People magazine that he and his family love New Orleans and that they couldn’t stay aside, seeing how badly it was affected by the hurricane.

“My family and I are very happy to be back here in this great city. We love it here very much,” Brad said.

“We knew we couldn't bring back the families and friends who were lost, bring back the heirlooms and pictures, but maybe, in the process of rebuilding, we could build something smarter to create a better way of life,” he said of the efforts to repair the devastated area.