Steve Linton, president of Deltec Homes, is among the leaders in the nationwide movement to build the next generation of home.  Deltec is a certified B-corporation that specializes in building energy efficient, durable, and beautiful panoramic homes using components produced at its Asheville, NC headquarters.  Deltec strives to design and build homes that don’t just set the bar for today’s high-performance homes, but set the bar for the future of building.  For over 50 years, Deltec has crafted homes that blur the lines between indoors and out, allowing homeowners to feel connected to the natural world around them.  You can visit www.deltechomes.com for more information.

Joseph Daniels founded Project Etopia in 2015 at the age of 23 and is the CEO of Project Etopia Group. Motivated with a passion to make a difference his objective is to build the smart connected eco cities of the future that work towards solving the global housing crisis, whilst having a positive impact on climate change. He aims to do this by combining various energy, construction and intelligent technologies, through invention or collaboration, to build the highest performing buildings. His ambition was fuelled by the lack of security he faced as a young man and continues to drive his motivation to create a better tomorrow. Joe has been recognised across various industries for his innovative approach to technology and real estate, most recently he received the accolade of Forbes 30 under 30 in the manufacturing and industry category, as well as a feature in the United Nations 75th anniversary book for his contribution to climate change.

Theresa (Terri) Gilbride is a building energy efficiency researcher with the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory in Richland, Washington, where she supports the U.S. Department of Energy as a content manager for DOE’s Building America and Zero Energy Ready Home programs. Terri has authored or co-authored 28 reports and 35 articles on residential energy efficiency and related topics. She served as the lead editor and an author on the Building America best practice guides, a 17-volume series which included climate-specific guides for high-performance home builders in all US climate zones and retrofit guides on air sealing, insulation, and HVAC. She has also published on building codes and emerging technologies including window attachments, solid state lighting, and HVAC.

As a Licensed General Contractor, Howard Building Science provides sustainable development and net-zero energy home construction in the High Country and Foothills of Western North Carolina. Rob has over 20 years of experience in the construction industry. He is the former Director of Construction at Habitat for Humanity of Catawba Valley where he built ENERGY STAR homes through Advanced Energy’s System Vision program. He built the first Net-Zero Energy Home in North Carolina in partnership with the Appalachian Energy Center in 2005. He also built the first DOE Zero Energy Ready Homes in North Carolina in 2015. Previous roles include 5 years as a Sustainable Building Specialist with Habitat for Humanity International and 4 years as a Performance Construction Manager with Mitsubishi Electric. Rob holds a bachelor’s degree and a renewable energy technologies diploma from North Carolina State University. He recently completed a master’s degree in sustainable technology and building science at Appalachian State University.

Leigha is Green Building and Sustainability Manager for Deltec Homes, a home panelizing company out of Asheville, North Carolina which specializes in high performance, net-zero and hurricane-resistant homes. In this role she consults with Deltec clients on green building and building science concepts, in which she has noticed increasing interest in material sustainability and embodied carbon among environmentally-saavy clients. She also manages the sustainability initiatives and sustainability reporting for Deltec Homes’ manufacturing processes. Off-site fabrication of the home’s structural shell offers builders opportunities to cut their carbon footprint, as some sustainability practices can be employed at larger scale in a factory setting. Deltec Homes manufacturing operates on 100% renewable site electricity, diverts 80% of waste from the landfill, and offsets domestic shipping through a local offsetting program. Leigha was instrumental in these programs, and in Deltec’s certification as a Benefit Corporation (BCorp), a program that uses a rigorous assessment to guide certified companies to account for and reduce their environmental impact. Leigha is a RESNET HERS Rater, with a major in physics and minor in environmental studies from UNC Asheville. She also serves on the board of directors of the Green Built Alliance, western North Carolina’s non-profit institute dedicated to advancing the sustainability in the built environment, where she offers technical guidance on their Green Built Homes certification program and Appalachian Offsets local carbon offsetting program.

George Sullivan is passionate about helping companies grow and prosper while mitigating their environmental footprints and meeting ESG goals by creating data-driven, scientifically valid climate action plans. He uses his varied professional experience and complex problem-solving abilities when consulting with companies, organizations, learning institutions, and governments all over the world on matters of building science, renewable energy, carbon offsetting and carbon offset generation, carbon neutrality and net zero emissions. George founded Net Zero Analysis and Design Corp., integrating 30 years of experience in engineering, industry, commodities trading, energy, and building science to provide companies and organizations with transparent, clearly-defined and globally accepted methods of measurement, validation and disclosure that stand up to scrutiny and meet United Nations guidelines and the new guidance offered by the SEC and Treasury Department.

John McLinden is a real estate developer/builder with 30 years of experience in commercial and residential construction. John is the originator of the nationally recognized mass-customization design approach, which has been featured in the Wall Street Journal, PBS Nightly Business Report, The Washington Post, Fortune Magazine, and the Today Show. John is also a recognized innovator in the construction industry. He has been the recipient of the prestigious Chicago Innovation Award and the subject of a Harvard Case study on developing technology for the construction industry.

Bill Rectanus, Vice President of Homebuilding Operations for Thrive Home Builders, is responsible for implementing Thrive's High Performance Building Initiative. A dynamic leader and manager with experience in business-to-business sales, account management, project management, and sustainability, he also oversees the construction, purchasing, and customer service departments. Bill is recognized as a dedicated self-starter, skilled at managing multiple projects in tandem. He's known as an outstanding trainer who continually creates excitement and interest while effectively presenting complex information. Bill is an active member in the Denver homebuilding industry, driven by his passion for advancing energy efficiency, building science and renewable energy. He serves on the Board of Directors for the Home Builders Association of Metro Denver.

Rick oversees the Green / High Performance Construction, Energy Retrofit, and Workforce Development Training programs the organization offers to Long Islanders. He is a graduate Architect, BPI and RESNET trained energy professional, construction manager and builder/developer. He has developed/renovated over 150 homes following EPA Energy Star, Indoor Air Plus and Watersense standards, as well as Universal Design principles for aging in place, HUD Healthy Homes protocols, and most recently, the U.S. Dept of Energy’s “Zero Energy Ready Home” Program.

Marye Hefty rejoined PNNL in June 2009 to support the U.S. Department of Energy’s Building America program, which is focused on improving the energy efficiency, health, and durability of new and existing homes. In addition to Building America, she supports other residential program initiatives for DOE related to codes and standards, workforce, energy audits and assessments, technology deployment, and research dissemination. Marye is a gifted educator and author who served as a full professor on the faculty of the Oregon Institute of Technology. She has over a decade of experience as an in-classroom instructor, advisor, and department chair.

Ryan Hillgartner has been with Tim O’Brien Homes for ten years and now serves as the Director of Marketing. Ryan is a member of the leadership team for Tim O’Brien Homes, a semi-custom and production home builder focused on green, energy-efficient, high-performance homes in Milwaukee and Madison, Wisconsin. Ryan leads communications efforts and coordinates special projects for Tim O’Brien Homes, including a successful high school construction education outreach program. In his free time, Ryan likes to experience the outdoors with his wife and their two children. He is a proud graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater where he earned a BBA in Marketing.