W. Geoff Gjertson, AIA is an architect and Professor at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. He is the co-director of the Building Institute, a “hands-on” design/build program which serves the community by having students in collaboration with contractors build market-rate, sustainably-designed homes and installations. Six houses so far have followed in the footsteps of the BeauSoleil Louisiana Solar Home, an award-winning 2009 Solar Decathlon house. His private practice work such as the Golden Residence and previous work with Holly and Smith Architects such as the Columbia Theatre, Rolling Residence and the SLU Classroom Building have won several state and regional awards. His work has been published in professional and academic Journals such as Architectural Record, the Journal of Architectural Education, the Journal of Interior Design, and Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture proceedings.