Boulder, CO, native Eric Doub followed in the footsteps of his father who rode his bike, walked and took buses and trains instead of driving a car, which his father called a "pollution-waste machine." Doub could have rebelled against his father but rather, followed his world views. Since founding award-winning EcoFutures Building Inc. in 1994, Doub has helped hundreds of homes take advantage of the sun's free energy. His crowning achievement was designing and building Solar Harvest, the first net-zero-waste and -energy-producing home in Boulder, where he resides with his family. The roof's solar panels collect sunlight and turn it into electricity and heat, which can be stored for days, even when the outdoor temperature drops below zero. "We designed a home in a cold climate that has no conventional, fossil-fuel-powered boiler or furnace and no wood-burning stove," he said. A nationally recognized expert in healthy homes and regular contributor to conferences, committees and publications, including the USGBC/ASID's ReGreen Guidelines, he is currently at work on a Beyond Zero Energy/Cradle-to-Cradle home.


What is a key innovation of the kitchen in the Beyond Zero Energy/Cradle-to-Cradle home?
Using life-cycle quartz products like HanStone for the countertops that last half a millennium. I think using extremely durable materials that can be taken out and reused for another project is an innovation.

And in the bath?
The under-floor electric radiant heat tiles that emit no electro-magnetic fields and add a luxurious touch. Also, low-flow showerheads, dual-flush toilets and good lighting with LED and compact fluorescent sources. 

What moment in your life inspired you to get into the business?
The tipping point was a paper I did on nuclear energy in high school. 

What learning experience has had the most impact on you as a green homebuilder?
Growing up with environmentally activist parents, traveling around the world and seeing people in other countries who don't have the resources and privileges we do.

What is the most intriguing aspect of your job?
The challenge and satisfaction of bringing future objectives into the present—things that seem faraway, like net-carbon-neutral housing.

What do you hate about it?
Misconceptions regarding value and cost.

What is the best thing that has happened to the profession in the past five years?
Three words: rising energy prices. And three other words: An Inconvenient Truth.

What "words of wisdom" can/do you share with others?
Keep the big picture in mind and hold on to your principles. As a civilization, we have some exciting changes to make to be here long term, and those changes will lead to healthier lives.

For design professionals who want to begin designing green but don't know how, can you offer a suggestion or two?
Regreenprogram.org. Read the introductory chapter, "Green from the Start." Learn as much as you can to deliver the benefits that people already want in an environmentally sound way.

What is your favorite place on earth?
Solar Harvest. Being with family and being comfortable guinea pigs in the dream home.

What would you be doing if you weren’t in your current profession?
Be a zero-energy ambassador. Travel around the country helping building departments, cities, counties and states understand the practices and policies that will get them to carbon neutrality in their particular climate and conditions.

If you could have a five-minute conversation with anyone, dead or alive, who would it be and what would you say?
I would talk to Google founder Larry Page about partnering on a number of different ventures in renewables and efficiency.

If you had one wish, what would it be?
That three quarters of military expenditure in the United States would be used for sustainable business for home and abroad.

If someone had asked you when you were a child, "What do you want to be when you grow up," you would have answered…
Probably a fireman, like most young American males.

What's the biggest misconception about what you do?
Green and high performing are only for the wealthiest. There is a Habitat for Humanity in Denver. A single mother of two moved into a home in 2005, and she has 4,000 extra kW hours on her electric meter right now.

What tips can you give for greening the kitchen?
Like other areas in the home, the kitchen demands low-emission materials for healthy indoor air quality, the highest standard certification for all of the wood products, energy-efficient appliances and smart lighting design.

What was your most difficult challenge when putting together the Solar Harvest energy home, and how did you resolve it?
The greatest challenge was getting the approval of the Planning and Buildings Department. We worked with a local engineer who said the house met the building codes and provided a heating system that would keep the house at 68 degrees Fahrenheit when it was 0 degrees Fahrenheit outside.

Who are your role models?
Bill McDonough, Cradle-to-Cradle author and world-renowned architect.

How long is your typical workday?
Exactly between 10-12 hours.

What do you do to unwind at home?
I play games with my children and wife and watch DVDs, especially old Jackie Chan movies.

What are some of the proudest experiences in your career?
Receiving recognition and awards for Solar Harvest and other work.

What's the one thing you hope to accomplish in your lifetime that you haven't yet?
Simplify business life to create a better balance with home life and travel.

Do you have a philosophy about green design?
To provide the same benefits that people want in their homes: comfort, health, safety, durability and low maintenance.