My time is spent helping people reduce their energy footprint as a Passivhaus Certifier and Consultant, but I started with trying to become a good example of what I preach myself, and also experimenting on myself before I recommend things to others (I'm still owner building my own Passivhaus). For myself, this has included 20+ years vegetarian including 10+ years vegan, getting food from my CSA organic farmer neighbor. I recently trained in Germany to become a Passivhaus certifier, previously studied architecture in Denmark a semester, then spent another traveling solo through Europe on a Youthrail pass, and before that traveled the national parks of the USA staying in campgrounds as a kid with my schoolteacher parents.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

I prefer staying with locals wherever I go, rather than staying in hotels, so I can get a taste of local culture, and all aspects of living in a local area. I try to give a good return to my hosts for the generosity of the housing they share with me, including cleaning up after myself and doing whatever chores you'd like me to do, and contributing any of my professional knowledge as I can. Need your bathroom thoroughly cleaned or help mucking out the barn before I go? Just let me know so I can bring appropriate work clothes. I'm looking forward to getting the certificate of occupancy on my new future zero energy home, so I can legally reciprocate.

Interests

Zero Energy Homes, Certified Passive Houses (I'm listed under US at the bottom athttp://www.passiv.de/en/03_certification/02_certification_buildings/03_certifiers/01_accredited/01_accredited.php), Natural building materials, Co-housing, Tiny homes, Permaculture, Organic Agriculture, Natural medicine, Vegetarian & solar cooking, deep energy retrofits of buildings, installing renewable energy systems, doing energy audits, doing 3d drawings with free sketchup software, and studying the lifeways of Native Americans, particularly those of the local Ojibwe.

• singing
• architecture
• vegetarian
• vegan
• gardening
• traveling

Music, Movies, and Books

I'm a fan of Science Fiction and Fantasy novels, though I'll read almost anything that holds still long enough, and I listen to more audiobooks than music. Some of my favorite authors include Tolkien, Herbert, Kingsolver, Collins, Paolini, McCaffrey, L'Engle, Lowry, Rowling, Assimov, Gabaldon, Grisham, Erdrich, Lewis, and I can't remember the rest but I may add more later when I can look at my collection.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

I'm currently owner-building a Passivhaus and future Zero Energy Home on a low income. I coached college students to win the Michigan Zero Energy Competition both times it was offered, and in competing in the 2007 Solar Decathlon competition. I've helped install solar electric and solar hot water systems, and a composting toilet, and in renovating windmills, and worked on strawbale buildings and thatching roofs. We used to keep bees, and I've done my share of canning & preserving so that we could live year around on local foods grown in summer. I'm half way through making a pair of mocassins.

Teach, Learn, Share

I was an adjunct professor in architecture and interior design intermittently for 5 years, and do lecturing on energy efficiency retrofits, renewable energy, and zero energy homes. I can teach people how to use free sketchup 3d design software to do drawings of their own (solar) projects, I've even got grade school students using the software before. I learn more & more about organic farming and natural medicines & permaculture. I've several favorite vegetarian and solar cooking recipes that usually get good reviews. In my youth I gained proficiency in a whole lot of different arts & crafts, sang in choirs (still do in my car) and I rode horses.

What I Can Share with Hosts

I can cook a vegetarian meal for you, or entertain children with crafts or stories or singing or building, or do a clipboard energy audit of your dwelling, or help with gardening or canning or other food processing, or help with sewing, or house cleaning, or painting , or maybe other home improvements (assuming you have all the tools and materials needed for the above, and you let me know ahead of time, and it doesn't conflict with my other primary obligations). I'm a good listener, and love networking with all sorts of people, and brainstorming on how we can live better with less money, as so many of us are forced to do.

Countries I’ve Visited

Belgium, Canada, Denmark, England, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Mexico, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Russian Federation, Scotland, Spain, Sweden, United States, Virgin Islands, British

Countries I’ve Lived In

Denmark, United States