ABSTRACT
Complex and difficult characters often appear to be key ingredients in the personalities of great geniuses. Harold Hay, the godfather of passive solar design, was no exception. This chapter seeks to critically expose, from personal experience in working with him, the philosophy, conceptual basis and contradictions of Hay’s attitude toward research, invention and application. From the visionary idealism and potential simplicity of the roof pond concept, to the concreteness of the Atascadero prototype house in California, Hay is credited with the only solar building in the nation able to provide full cooling and heating data during the 1973 oil embargo energy crisis.
Hay also explored adaptations of roof ponds to other climate conditions, allowing expansion of this innovative and unique system to serve more severe climates. This chapter is a testimony and critical recollection of essential material relevant not only to understanding Hay’s invention but also to constitute a clear sky for those who may want to evolve the roof pond approach.
