Page 61 - ISES SWC50

David Hall
Country: UK
Year Started Research: 1963
Title of Research: Bioenergy
University: University of California, Berkley
Still Active in Research: No

David Hall advocate for energy from plants and scientist with consuming passion for biomass. Encyclopaedic memory
and diverse contacts in science, technology and policy, he contributed to issues of bioenergy, global change, energy
and environmental policy and plant physiology. Recognised connections between science, technology and policy,
as acknowledged by his service to the Inter-Governmental Panel on Climate Change, other international scientific
committees, UN agencies and the European Union. Embraced international collaborative projects before current
environmental concerns and particularly influential in developing Brazil’s ethanol from biomass industry. Born in
East London, South Africa, educated at Kearsney College and Natal University. Research career started at University
of California, Berkeley, where he took his PhD studying the physiology of photosynthesis; a year at Johns Hopkins
in Baltimore followed before he joined Kings College London (KCL) in 1964 as lecturer, promoted to Professor of
Biology in 1974. Influential member of the UK Solar Energy Society, which he co-founded, 1972. From 1987 –
1992, he hosted the Society at Kings College London. Held a number of posts, including Chairperson and Honorary
Treasurer; at the time of his death, was Meetings Secretary. In 1978 at first UK SunDay event, he organised sunrise
congregation outside the House of Commons to promote the use of solar energy. In 1978 He was a founding
member of UK charity, The Solar Trust for Education and Research. In 1981 he was Chairperson of ISES Solar
World Congress, Brighton. He was an ISES Board Member during 1980s. In 1998 - obtained permission to use the
prestigious Great Hall Kings College London, critical for persuading then Energy Minister John Battle presenting
the Society’s Annual Christmas Lecture– first time for an energy minister. This annual lecture was subsequently
renamed the David Hall Memorial Lecture. In 1998- presented with Society’s Special Service Award, recognising
his outstanding service and commitment to the Society and biomass.

Harold Hay

Country: United States
Year Started Research: 1967
Title of Research: Sky Thermal House
University: San Luis Obispo University
Still Active in Research: No

John Yellott’s collaboration with solar entrepreneur Harold Hay on developing an evaporative solar system called
a roofpond, which Yellott considered “the simplest system which can accomplish both heating and cooling with
the same equipment,” proved to be not so simple. The experiments at Yellott’s laboratory encountered obstacles
such as the unexpected “healthy growth of ‘wrigglers’ within plastic-enclosed water” from the city mains; then
“a pair of nesting birds was attracted to the comfort of a projecting portion of the roofpond.” (The researchers
eliminated the unwelcome ‘wrigglers’ as well as a prolific growth of algae with chemical treatment; they considered
the “cheerfulness of the birds a pleasant relief from the drudgery of data-collection,” but recommended “preventive
measures for those not wanting such company.”) Yellott’s and Hay’s experiments did prove the roofpond concept
technically feasible, later confirmed with expanded testing on dormitory roofs at Trinity University in Texas.
Nonetheless, in the words of solar scientist Kenneth Haggard of the San Luis Obispo Solar Group, implementation
of the idea of maintaining a large puddle of water on one’s roof to cool the interior “awaits the next period of
blossoming of passive solar architecture.” (Hay defended roofponds, acknowledging that while a roofpond design
error proved “highly expensive to a young architect and his client,” nonetheless there is an “unnecessary fear of
having bodies of water overhead.” Hay also noted that a review of all roofpond installations in the United States
concluded the roofpond “outperforms any other single passive system in both heating and cooling modes” and
opined “It may be DOE’s best kept-secret buried under hundreds of reports.”). Further details on Harold Hay’s life
and achievements can be found on the following link:
https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2007-nov-10-fi-haroldhay10-story.html

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