Steve Dumez, FAIA is a Partner and Design Director in the New Orleans based architectural firm of Eskew+Dumez+Ripple. The firm’s dedication to environmental and cultural concerns has created a platform for numerous prestigious awards for design excellence. The firm’s growing reputation reflects its effort to connect every project to community and environment, and to create a fitting integration of architecture, urban design and landscape.

Alex Wilson is founder and president of BuildingGreen, LLC, the Brattleboro, Vermont-based publisher of Environmental Building News (EBN), the GreenSpec Directory of green building products, the online resource BuildingGreen Suite, and a new residential resource, Green Building Advisor. Alex is author of Your Green Home (2006) and co-author of Green Development: Integrating Ecology and Real Estate (John Wiley & Sons, 1998) and The Consumer Guide to Home Energy Savings (ACEEE, 9th edition, 2007). And he has written hundreds of articles on building technology, energy, and the environment for various magazines.

David Crossley is president and founder of Houston Tomorrow, where his focus is on urban growth issues as they relate to quality of life. Houston Tomorrow has led the Livable Houston/Smart Growth Initiative in the Houston Gulf Coast region since its founding as the Gulf Coast Institute in 1998. Crossley is also a founder and co-Chair of Blueprint Houston, an initiative toward a comprehensive plan for the City of Houston, as well as committee member, board member and panelist to many national, regional and local organizations. Crossley has given many presentations on Smart Growth and Livable Communities at such venues as the Connecting the Visions Conference, the Building Choices Conference, the Downtown Kiwanis Club, the Greater Houston Partnership’s Sensible Growth Committee, Woodlands Rotary, the Youth 2000 Leadership Conference, the Rice Environmental Conference, and many more.

Gordon V.R. Holness P.E., President-Elect of ASHRAE National, is Chairman Emeritus of Albert Kahn Associates, Inc. Architects and Engineers, in Detroit. He retired from the firm in 2001 having served for over 32 years including roles as Chief Mechanical Engineer, Treasurer, Board Member, President and CEO. He currently serves in a consulting capacity and as an expert witness for design and construction issues. Gordon has written numerous articles and is a frequent speaker is such areas as Improving Energy Efficiency in Existing Buildings, Building Information Modeling, and Integrated Building Design.