Steve Loken, Founder of the Center for Resource is a nationally recognized energy and home building technology expert. Steve has spoken and taught at industry and government sponsored conferences, seminars, and workshops across the country since 1983. He has done research, testing and auditing for conservation programs.

Steve has consulted on resource efficient building for national corporations, public utilities and municipalities. He has also consulted on industrial ecology issues in Finland and Australia as well as design and material selection for demonstration building projects and private buildings throughout the United States. Steve has worked with a wide variety of organizations and companies, including Amoco Chemical Company and the Japanese Government and Industry, Danish Housing and Systems Technology.

Steve has been designing and building homes for over twenty-five years -emphasizing resource conservation in design, material selection and construction. He currently owns and operates Loken Builders in Missoula, Montana.

As a Building Technology Specialist for the National Center for Appropriate Technology, US. Department of Energy, in Butte, Montana, Steve has researched and tested alternative indoor ventilation strategies in low-infiltration housing, and developed training seminars for super-insulated energy-efficient construction.

Steve also worked as a Residential Construction Specialist/Contractor and Researcher for the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation where he organized and conducted training sessions on energy-efficient housing design and construction; and researched passive solar and energy-efficient houses throughout Montana.

Steve received the Professional Achievement Award, presented by Professional Builder and Remodeler in 1991 and the Joule Award from The Energy Efficient Building Association in 1995. In April 1999 Steve served as the keynote speaker for the first National Green Building Conference, sponsored by NAHB, NAHB Research Center and Professional Builder magazine in Denver, Colorado. Since 1984, Steve has lectured and conducted building technology workshops, some of which include:

• The National Building Museum. Washington DC. 2000

• The National Green Building Conference NAHB. Denver, Colorado. 1999

• NESEA Quality Building Conference. Westfield, Massachusetts. 1998

• Sustainable Building Northwest. Seattle, Washington. 1997

• Sustaining our Environments and Our Communities. Kalispell, Montana. 1997

• Austin Green Building Conference. Austin, Texas. 1996

• Energy Efficient Building Association (EEBA) Annual Conference. Minneapolis, Minnesota. 1991-1995

• Protecting the Future: ESD in Action. Australia. 1994

• Building for Tomorrow. Oakland, California. 1994

• Minneapolis Home and Garden Show. Minneapolis, Minnesota. 1994

• Yestermorrow -Design/Build School. Warren, Vermont. 1994

• Construction and Demolition Waste Management Conference. Los Angeles, California. 1993

• University of Helsinki/Government of Finland. Finland 

• Government of Hokkaido and KST Construction Company. Japan

Steve has served on the following advisory boards:

• Environmental Building News. Brattleboro, Vermont.

• Sustainable Building Collaborative. Portland, Oregon.

• Northeast Sustainable Energy Association. Boston, Massachusetts.

• Habitat for Humanity. Missoula, Montana.

• Montana Preservation Alliance. Helena, Montana.

• Montana Environmental Information Center .

• Montana Natural History Center. Missoula, Montana.

Steve has participated in the following Committees and Task Groups:

• Habitat for Humanity and Global Green Initiative Symposium. Atlanta, Georgia. 1995

• Governor's Solid Waste Task Force. Helena, Montana.

• Montana Science and Technology Wood Focus Group.

• EPA Recycling Advisory Council.

Published works contributed to include:

• ReCRAFT 90: The Construction of a Resource Efficient House.

• Center for Resourceful Building Technology, 1993.

• Guide to Resource Efficient Building Elements.

• Center for Resourceful Building Technology, 1991-1994.

• Ventilation Guide for Residential Construction.

• Ventilation Guide for Residential Construction.

• Washington State Energy Office, 1987.

• Montana Sunpower - Volume ll  Passive Solar Homes