Stephanie Barnes-Castro:
Award-Winning Green Architect

Stephanie Barnes-Castro graduated from the University of California, Santa Cruz with a degree in Environmental Studies in 1982. Naturally, her commitment to sustainability has been a part of her work from the very beginning. Her most recent design on Geoffroy Drive is registered to receive the LEED Gold rating. She tells me that sustainable architecture is "largely about finding ways to significantly reduce energy use and use green products with low embodied energy and maintenance requirements." A few lesser- known techniques that are high on her priority list include:

1) Controlling Air Infiltration Rates (Thermal Bridging) - An energy efficient building must first and foremost be able to keep cold air from penetrating its walls in the winter while also keeping the hot air out during the summer. Stephanie Barnes-Castro says "buttoning up all the cracks and crevices" by using a combination of insulation and advanced exterior air barriers can ensure