Dan Chiras has been involved in renewable energy since the mid-1970s when he retrofitted his first home for passive solar heating. He currently lives in an off-grid passive solar home that he helped to design in the foothills of the Rockies. Built from straw bales, rammed earth tires, and numerous green building materials, this home is heated almost entirely by the sun. Dan is author of numerous books on natural and sustainable building, including The Solar House: Passive Heating and Cooling, published by Chelsea Green in 2002. Dan embraces a comprehensive systems approach to building that offers a wide range of benefits to people, the planet, and our economy. He will field general questions on passive solar heating and cooling and offers consultation on project design and construction, as well as lectures and workshops on passive solar heating and cooling.