ABSTRACT
Between 1980 and 1995 passive architecture suffered a loss of cultural favor and fervor. The reactionary politics of the Reagan era and oil glut of the time, as well as the anti-technological bias of postmodern architecture, caused projects that had been demonstrated to be efficient and affordable, like roof ponds, to become passé. The country swung back to its old wasteful ways and Harold Hay and others, who relentlessly fought for integrated interdisciplinary research related to the global environment, were ignored as a new energy crisis and new oil wars were spawned.
This chapter examines Harold Hay’s ambition and the subsequent work by the Atascadero prototype team. In 1976, the roof pond approach was expanded beyond single buildings with a new urbanism roof pond design for the California Energy Efficient Office Building Competition. It was the only passive design among 91 entries. In 1980 the development of numerical modeling of passive systems by Phil Niles for the Passive Solar Handbook for the California Energy Commission allowed side-by-side comparisons of different passive applications. Roof ponds generally outperformed other approaches to passive solar design.
While passive solar concepts were developed from local energy crises, it became clear after a few decades that larger global issues were going to shape the future of the discipline. Harold Hay’s work sits at the center of this hinge in time. Known for preaching: “It’s the basics, stupid!,” Hay emphasized the need to turn toward basic principles within greater technological capabilities. The future of passive design and technology, Hay believed, also needs to address a shift in perception and cultural evolution. His legacy and approach not only to the technological aspects of passive design, but also cultural ones, make us wonder and reflect upon today’s technologies in a cultural era of information and trendy and defensive sustainability.
