A Santa Fe architect, Alfred designs low-cost energy-efficient and sustainable buildings utilizing strawbale, straw-clay, pumicecrete, adobe, earthen plasters, rainwater catchment and solar electricity. He also invents devices to aid in the production of alternative buildings.

Paula is an architect, baubiologist, and primary author of Prescriptions for a Healthy House. She is the principal of Baker-Laporte and Associates since 1986. Her Architectural firm specializes in healthy ecological residences including design for the Econest Building Company.

Dan is an author, lecturer, and consultant who lives in a fairly independent offgrid passive solar straw-bale and rammed earth tire home in Evergreen, Colorado. Dan is author of numerous books, including The Natural House: A Guide to Healthy, Energy-Efficient, Environmental Homes. He is currently working on two new books, one on natural heating and cooling and another (with Cedar Rose Guelberth) on earthen plaster.

A Taos native, earth artist Carole Crews has mud in her blood, and her beautiful "aliz" plasters are dirt-cheap. In a joyous process, she consults, plasters, and teaches plastering workshops through her company, Gourmet Adobe.

A former editor for The Permaculture Activist and resident at Earth Haven Ecovillage, Molly has all-around experience as a natural builder and permaculture practitioner.

A natural builder with over 30 years wide-ranging experience as a carpenter, designer and builder, Harvey served as construction coordinator for the first Build Here Now Convergence in 1999. He also built the timber frame portal to the Lama Community Center. A certified bau-biologist, he is currently building a healthy, non-toxic, natural eco-cluster near Abiquiu, NM.

Natural builders and Permaculture practitioners, Steve Kemble & Carol Escott operate Sustainable Systems Support, offering engineered design plans, consulting, construction, workshops, tours, and self-produced videos and a building manual.

Natural builders and Permaculture practitioners, Steve Kemble & Carol Escott operate Sustainable Systems Support, offering engineered design plans, consulting, construction, workshops, tours, and self-produced videos and a building manual.

He's an enigma.

Cedar is a natural and healthy home designer, planner, builder, teacher, and researcher who has been working in the field for over 25 years. Her company, Building for Health, offers hundreds of products to create a non-toxic home.

Cedar is a natural and healthy home designer, planner, builder, teacher, and researcher who has been working in the field for over 25 years. Her company, Building for Health, offers hundreds of products to create a non-toxic home.

Cedar is a natural and healthy home designer, planner, builder, teacher, and researcher who has been working in the field for over 25 years. Her company, Building for Health, offers hundreds of products to create a non-toxic home.

A natural builder from North Carolina, Janell works with straw, clay and other materials, teaching and consulting, through her company Kleiwerks. She has been teaching workshops for nearly five years, in colleges, public parks and private homes, and as far away as India.

A natural builder from North Carolina, Janell works with straw, clay and other materials, teaching and consulting, through her company Kleiwerks. She has been teaching workshops for nearly five years, in colleges, public parks and private homes, and as far away as India.

Natural builders and Permaculture practitioners, Steve Kemble & Carol Escott operate Sustainable Systems Support, offering engineered design plans, consulting, construction, workshops, tours, and self-produced videos and a building manual.

Natural builders and Permaculture practitioners, Steve Kemble & Carol Escott operate Sustainable Systems Support, offering engineered design plans, consulting, construction, workshops, tours, and self-produced videos and a building manual.

Straw-clay builder for the solar residence to be constructed during the Convergence. Founder of the Econest Building Company, Robert helped introduce the German technique of straw-clay construction in the USA. A proponent of healthy resource-efficient houses, he believes our homes should be sanctuaries that nurture body, mind, and spirit.

A research chemist for the Granite Rock Company (a family-owned company which supplies aggregates, concrete, and asphalt to central California), Paul's primary research is directed at finding alternative binders for concrete and improving the quality and characteristics of portland cement concretes. He has a PhD in Chemistry.

Vishu has designed in Taos and Santa Fe since 1973, blending elements of spirit and sustainability into buildings such as Lama's new community center. He is the author of Archetype Design: House as Vehicle for Spirit.

Kasey is The Lama Foundation coordinator of Build Here Now, and has lived at Lama for over five years.

He's an enigma.

He's an enigma.

Canadian architect Jorg-Dietram Ostrowski has been a full-time professional since 1976 (strawbale since 1978) in environmental/architectural design, ecological planning, consulting on sustainable buildings/communities. Jorg gives seminars and workshops, is creating "Eco-Village 1": a small self-sufficient sustainable community, and personally leads a conserver lifestyle in a sustainable home and office, which has hosted thousands of visitors.

Scott has been an international designer and teacher of permaculture for over ten years. Known for his teaching work with Bill Mollison, Scott is President of the Permaculture Institute and the Permaculture Credit Union.

Workshop/presentation presently unconfirmed

Authors, educators and innovators, Athena and Bill have pushed the boundaries of affordable straw and earth buildings, creating a model with their work in Mexico that is inspiring natural builders world-wide. They co-authored The Straw Bale House, The Beauty of Straw Bale Homes and Earthen Floors, and operate a non-profit organization, the Canelo Project.

Authors, educators and innovators, Athena and Bill have pushed the boundaries of affordable straw and earth buildings, creating a model with their work in Mexico that is inspiring natural builders world-wide. They co-authored The Straw Bale House, The Beauty of Straw Bale Homes and Earthen Floors, and operate a non-profit organization, the Canelo Project.

Architect Kiyohiko studied in Europe and traveled throughout the Middle East, India and Nepal before settling down in his native Japan. In 1991 he gave up a successful practice in Tokyo, having designed nearly 400 commercial offices, cafes, discos, etc, to move to an island off Japan and experiment with alternative building. After taking a Canelo Project straw-bale workshop, he was inspired to bring bale building back to Japan, where he founded the Japan Straw Bale House Association. His current company is called Earth Planning.

Architect Kiyohiko studied in Europe and traveled throughout the Middle East, India and Nepal before settling down in his native Japan. In 1991 he gave up a successful practice in Tokyo, having designed nearly 400 commercial offices, cafes, discos, etc, to move to an island off Japan and experiment with alternative building. After taking a Canelo Project straw-bale workshop, he was inspired to bring bale building back to Japan, where he founded the Japan Straw Bale House Association. His current company is called Earth Planning.

Completed her Clinical Herbalist training at the New Mexico Herb Institute in 1995. She currently teaches permaculture at Cottonwood Montessori School in Corrales and is starting her own permaculture landscaping business called Ecocentric Design.

Has been teaching and applying permaculture in the Southwest for over ten years. Cofounder of Flowering Tree Permaculture Institute, he has focused on agricultural, architectural and hand-craft applications. Joel currently works as a designer/consultant with Living Structures Cooperative, Inc., and Regenesis Collaborative Development Group in Santa Fe, New Mexico.

Author and Permaculture designer, consultant and teacher, Ben created the master permaculture plan for Lama, Sol Y Sombra and many other notable designs. He currently works with the Regenisis Group in Santa Fe.

Scott has been an international designer and teacher of permaculture for over ten years. Known for his teaching work with Bill Mollison, Scott is President of the Permaculture Institute and the Permaculture Credit Union.

Workshop/presentation presently unconfirmed

Richard has a degree in Environmental Studies and Philosophy. He has many years experience in homesteading and observing nature and is currently the Land Team Leader and Foreman of the Restoration Team at the Lama Foundation.

Has been teaching and applying permaculture in the Southwest for over ten years. Cofounder of Flowering Tree Permaculture Institute, he has focused on agricultural, architectural amd hand-craft applications. Joel currently works as a designer/ consultant with Living Structures Cooperative, Inc., and Regenesis Collaborative Development Group in Santa Fe, New Mexico.

Workshop/presentation presently unconfirmed

A natural builder and organic forest gardener from Brazil, Zeze works with palm thatch, adobe, and other earthen building techniques. He is a pioneer in adapting ferrocement water cistern technology to Brazil.

Workshop/presentation presently unconfirmed

A permaculture teacher and natural builder, Andre lives and works in Brazil, where he is developing a model permaculture training center and ecovillage for rural Brazilians. Andre has trained over 2000 permaculture designers, and consults with UN and government agencies in the fields of rural development and human settlement.

Carol is a health communication specialist and co-author of The Composting Toilet System Book. She is also projects director for the Center for Ecological Pollution Prevention in Concord, Massachusettes. She has offered Composting Toilet workshops in the USA & Mexico.

An invertant inventor and tinkerer, Tom is credited with the invention of pumice crete, as well as the aerobic pumice (Watson) wick. He lives along the Rio Grande in Northern New Mexico.

A former editor for The Permaculture Activist, and resident at Earth Haven Ecovillage, Molly has all-around experience as a natural builder and permaculture practitioner.

Certified in Yoga, Chi Kung, Hypnotherapy and massage therapy, Kendra is also a professional artist, trained in Bali. She lives and practices in Denver, CO

Canadian architect Jorg-Dietram Ostrowski has been a full-time professional since 1976 (strawbale since 1978) in environmental/architectural design, ecological planning, consulting on sustainable buildings/communities. Jorg gives seminars and workshops, is creating "Eco-Village 1": a small self-sufficient sustainable community, and personally leads a conserver lifestyle in a sustainable home and office, which has hosted thousands of visitors.

www.stanslaughter.com

A permaculture teacher and natural builder, Andre lives and works in Brazil, where he is developing a model permaculture training center and ecovillage for rural Brazilians. Andre has trained over 2000 permaculture designers, and consults with UN and government agencies in the fields of rural development and human settlement.

Musician is an understatement.