Keynote Speaker                                                                          

Conference Speakers




 







Bruce King

founder of the Ecological Building Network, and a registered  engineer with 35 years of experience in structural engineering and  construction.  He is the author of  Buildings of Earth and Straw, Making  Better Concrete, Design of Straw Bale Buildings, ASTM International  earthen building  guidelines, and dozens of papers and articles for  conferences and journals. He has organized three  international  conferences on ecological building, organized and completed quarter- million dollar  testing programs for alternative building, and speaks to  professional groups and universities all over  the world.  He also raises  chickens and children.

Breakout Speakers                                                                          

 

Carole Crews

I spent my first decade in Ranchos de Taos where it was traditional among local cultures to build with adobe bricks. I never dreamed I’d have a career in mud, but after graduating with an art degree from UT in 1972 and later returning to New Mexico, I rediscovered earthen building. Early observations came back to me as I made and set adobe bricks and learned to plaster the walls. Acrylic paint lost its appeal and my favorite art material became sculpted earthen plaster colored with clays and pigments.

After moving back to Taos, I collaborated with Lori Lawyer to develop a new variation of clay paint and we started Gourmet Adobe. Our modern alis caught on and over the years I have taught many people this simple way of creating beautiful clay finishes. Constructing an adobe dome with many extensions has provided a perfect place in which to experiment, hold workshops, and play with color in a multitude of ways. While continuing to work in the field of interior finishes, I have also written, Clay Culture: Plasters, Paints and Preservation to keep this ancient tradition alive and flourishing.


Doug Graybeal, AIA

Doug is the founder of Graybeal Architects, LLC a unique architectural firm focusing on environmentally friendly design. He has been practicing architecture for over thirty years and holds a Masters of Environmental Planning, specializing in solar architecture, from Arizona State University.  He is a former principal of the award winning firm of Cottle Graybeal Architects Ltd.  He lives in a passive solar straw bale home outside of Carbondale and has design projects ranging from an off-grid straw bale home, to a LEED Silver certified golf clubhouse. His continuing involvement in community efforts reflects his concern for a better built environment.
Dodson Harper, Structural Engineer

Dodson Harper provides structural engineering for renovations, new and historic residential and commercial construction for Resource Engineering Group in Crested Butte, CO. Dodson works to find creative solutions to complex engineering problems using as few materials as possible. REG specializes in unique and alternative construction methods, materials and systems. They have experience with the structural and mechanical engineering of buildings using materials including straw bales, Rastra/Performwall, pumice-crete, rammed earth, poured earth, SIPs, ICFs and advanced framing techniques. REG lives and breathes energy efficiency, and specializes in designing mechanical and structural systems to achieve aggressive energy goals. Dodson received a Bachelor of Arts in Mathematics from Westminster College and a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from Colorado State University.
Andrew Phillips

Andrew has 13+ years experience in the green and deep green (natural) building trades, both as a regional deep green contractor and as a consultant.  As a contractor and principal of his company Natural Dwelling LLC, he has developed the skills of utilizing natural building materials, techniques, and systems within the parameters of today’s conventionally-built structures.  As a consultant for the American Casein Company, the largest casein manufacturing company in the western hemisphere (historically a versatile and viable natural binder), he has been able to offer deep green solutions to dozens of companies, organizations, agencies, and industries. His experiences reveal that deep green building systems and materials offer sustainable, commercially viable, and healthier solutions for today’s market.  Since every project he has been involved in has had different parameters, certification requirements, and owner needs, he can help navigate each project’s specific aesthetic, structural, budgetary, and durability requirements.  His knowledge of conventional construction, coupled with a systems-based approach to green building, has allowed him to continue to offer innovative yet deep green solutions to each project.


Emily Niehaus


 Emily Niehaus is the Founder and Executive Director of Community Rebuilds in Moab, Utah. Emily grew up in Ohio, moved to Prescott, Arizona for undergraduate studies, and received a Master’s Degree in Applied Sociology at Clemson University. Emily has a professional background in  banking, accounting, and mortgage lending -- including experience in financing straw bale construction and purchase. Emily’s background in number crunching, interest in creating affordable housing, and affection for natural building came together as she founded Community Rebuilds in 2007. Since then, Emily has worked diligently to build all the puzzle pieces that make up the organization: builders, students, program participants, and funding.


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Gunnison, CO 81230
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