Farah Naz Ahmad was born in New York City and is a fifth year Architecture student with the career goal to obtain a license to become a registered architect. Currently, she is the student representative for public relations for the City College of New York Solar Decathlon team, and is also president of the AIAS (American Institute of Architecture Students) Chapter for the school. Farah promotes such concepts as solar energy to provide a cleaner environment for the next generation.

Joe Bowling is president and founder of Energy Wise Solutions, a renewable energy/energy efficiency company based in Charlotte, N.C. The company provides services for homeowners and businesses including home energy audits, solar consulting, solar equipment sales, NABCEP certified installations, solar repairs and solar thermal, and green building verification for LEED, Energy Star and NAHB Green Building.

Erik Braunitzer is a member of the creative writing and web strategy department for Douglas Elliman. With a background in philosophy and environmental literature, he's touched on topics varying from sustainability to green infrastructure.

Paul Brazelton, owner of the MinnePHit House, is a father and hobby chef with a passion for the planet. The MinnePHit House is an existing home in Minneapolis being retrofitted to EnerPHit standards, which is a new certification for older homes to make them far more energy efficient, closer to Passive House standards.

Christine is an award-winning interior designer, author and syndicated columnist.

Sean is a California Registered Architect and LEED Accredited Professional. He owns 10|70architecture and specializes in process-based modern and contemporary architecture. He has a bachelor’s degree in Architecture from the New Jersey Institute of Technology and a Certificate in Project Management from San Diego State University. He has multiple certifications from the Building Performance Institute and was named the 2011 chair of the USGBC Emerging Professionals Committee.

Ted L. Clifton is a designer-builder from Coupeville, Wa., with over 45 years of hands-on experience in the construction industry. His two companies, Zero-Energy Plans LLC, and CVH Inc. have won five Energy Value Housing Awards, and two National Green Building Awards for Concept and Research. Ted has been closely involved with the development of both his local Built Green program and Built Green Washington.

Chris Conway (aka The Green Gobbler) has gained a reputation for his frank, no-holds-barred advice on home energy efficiency and green building construction. As the president of Conway Construction and the exclusive Earthcraft House technical adviser for Northern Virginia, Chris has conducted hundreds of home energy audits, energy efficiency and green building certifications across the state. Genevieve Concannon, the EcoBroker, assists Chris with his blog.

Chad Cornette began his education with hands-on construction while attaining bachelors and masters degrees in architecture from UW Milwaukee and the Frank Lloyd Wright School of Architecture. Chad opened the Cantilever Studio in DePere, Wis. in 2003. A cabinet maker, glass cutter, welder, framer, world traveler and architectural intellect, Chad offers a unique and creative perspective on timeless building and interior design.

Duo Dickinson has been an architect for over 30 years and received over 30 awards. His work has been published in over 70 national publications. Mr. Dickinson’s latest book is Staying Put. He is the architecture critic for the New Haven Register, and writes for Design Bureau, A.B., New Haven Magazine, and his own blog, Saved By Design. He has taught at Yale, Roger Williams and Harvard GSD Summer Program.

Representing the fourth generation of the Ferrier Companies, Heather Ferrier Laminack functions as the marketing manager for Texas-based green home builder Ferrier Custom Homes, utilizing her passion for sustainable building practices and her first-hand experience of green building techniques.

Eric Corey Freed, LEED AP, Hon. FIGP, is founding principal of organicARCHITECT, a nationally known award-winning architecture and consulting firm in California, with nearly 20 years of experience in green building and sustainable planning. Eric is a renowned speaker and author of four books on sustainable design.

Teena Hammond is editor and associate publisher of ProudGreenHome. Teena has published more than 2,000 articles in People and W magazines, Women's Wear Daily, and dozens of newspapers and books. She also wrote a home improvement, remodeling and decor column that ran in Gannett newspapers nationwide.

Luis Imery, through his business the Imery Group, is a full service construction, home energy performance, green certification and real estate group specializing in infusing sustainability in every facet of the real estate cycle. Its construction division has become pioneers in the Athens, GA area in green building of speculative, custom and design-built construction. Just in 2011 they have over 110 units slated for green certification under the EarthCraft program.

During his sales and marketing career in the insurance business, Gary was fascinated with the construction business and spent untold off hours visiting jobsites. It was obvious how much filth was remaining on the typical jobsite. When he retired from insurance he developed and launched recyclable and reusable protective products specifically aimed at subfloors. He is now a passionate advocate for the importance and benefits of cleanliness for homeowners, builders and contractors.

As president of TightLines Designs, David Maurer, AIA, LEED-AP, designs small, energy-efficient and sustainable single-family detached homes. He consults with developers, builders and owners on conservation-based community design, green architecture and historic revitalization, and is a frequent contributor at industry conferences.

Jessica Reilly was born and raised and still currently resides in St. Louis, Missouri, home of the St. Louis Cardinals! She is a graduate of the University of Missouri. Currently, she is the marketing and client services manager at Closed Loop Recycling and Green Stream Chemicals where she helps companies go green. She and her companies promote green concepts by diverting waste from the landfills and/or incinerating, reusing that waste, and reducing waste costs.

Mark Sanders has always been concerned about the environment. He is a licensed CPA, but has always sought ways to help people and companies work smarter. He developed the idea for the AQUS at age nine, then patented it 30-plus years later. AQUS is now available through a partnership with Sloan Valve Co., which has a full line of water-efficient bathroom products.

Melissa provides sustainability consulting services for businesses in the Twin Cities metropolitan area. Melissa is also the founder of Green Intention LLC, where she writes and blogs about her experience in getting her own home LEED Gold certified--and then trying to live more sustainably in the home. She chairs her congregation’s Task Force for Sustainability, has her MBA, Master's in Public Policy, and is a LEED AP for Homes.

Tom Smith is the director of operations and marketing at Anua. Tom is driving demand for wastewater treatment, water reuse, rainwater harvesting and odor/VOC control solutions. He has a B.A. from Duke University and an MBA from the Fuqua School of Business.

Lois is the Chief Sustainability Officer at Wight & Co., an integrated architecture, engineering and construction firm in Chicago. Lois will blog about her green experiences in the corporate world, as well as her personal accounts of living in a green home.