Page 85 - ISES SWC50

Steve Baer
Country: United States
Year Started Research: 1975
Title of Research: The Zome House
University: In the field
Still Active in Research: Yes

Steve Baer (born 1938) is an American inventor and pioneer of passive solar technology. Baer helped
popularize the use of Zomes. He took a number of solar power patents, wrote a number of books and
publicized his work. Baer served on the board of directors of the U.S. Section of the International Solar Energy
Society, and on the board of the New Mexico Solar Energy Association. He was the founder, Chairman of the
Board, president, and Director of Research at Zomeworks Corporation. One of Zomeworks’ inventions was
the now-expired patented Beadwall, which consists of two sheets of glass with small styrofoam beads
blown in the space between them by an air pump at night to insulate the window areas of the building (the
beads being removed by vacuum action in the morning). The design is somewhat similar to the drum wall.
Baer, Steve, Sunspots. Albuquerque, NM: Zomeworks. 1975 Baer, Steve (1977), “Corales Residence”, Passive
Solar Heating and Cooling: Conference and Workshop Proceedings, May 18–19, 1976, University of New
Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico, Washington, D. C.: Energy Research and Development Administration: 200
Baer, Steve (1977), “Movable Insulation”, Passive Solar Heating and Cooling: Conference and Workshop Proceedings,
May 18–19, 1976, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico, Washington, D. C.: Energy Research and
Development Administration: 70–72 Further details on Steve Baer’s life and achievements can be found on the
website https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Baer

John Ballinger
Country: Australia
Year Started Research/Industry: 1975
Title of Research: Experimental solar home at Broken Hill,
New South Wales
University: University of New South Wales
Still Active in Research/Industry : No

Emeritus Professor John Ballinger, AM, FRAIA served as Professor of Architecture from 1993 to 1997, Head of
School of Architecture 1990 to 1995 as well as chairman and founder of Solarch, National Solar Architecture
Research Unit, from 1974 to 1996, all at the University of New South Wales (UNSW). He was also the inaugural
Chairperson of the Australian and New Zealand Solar Energy Society (ANZSES) in 1985 and after almost a year
chairing the interim management committee served for two subsequent full year terms as Chairman, having been
elected unopposed on both occasions. Professor Ballinger subsequently served as the Society’s Treasurer for a
three year term ending in 1996. He was steward of the World Solar Challenge, the international solar car race from
Darwin to Adelaide, around 3,000 km, from its inauguration in 1987 to 1993. In academia he was responsible for
Solarch projects including the first experimental solar house in Australia and the first Solar Village in Australia,
both in NSW. Solarch, in collaboration with industry, established the Australasian Windows Council which in
turn initiated the Window Energy Rating Scheme (WERS) to complement the Nationwide House Energy Rating
Scheme (NatHERS) which John also nurtured. NatHERS was immensely politically challenging due to the low level
of inter-state consensus that pervaded the whole process. Before that, he served as chair of the Technical Advisory
Committee to its forerunner, the Five Star Design Rating Scheme in the 1980s. Professor Ballinger retired in 1997
from the UNSW. He has over 50 solar efficient buildings and 150 publications to his name and was awarded the
Order of Australia in 2000.

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