Dome Cookbook, by Steve Baer (1968). Baer’s first major publication that helped inspire the back-to-the-land movement and documented practical dome construction techniques. Self-published through the Lama Foundation, it became a foundational text for alternative builders.
Sunspots: An Exploration of Solar Energy Through Fact & Fiction, by Steve Baer. This is Baer’s foundational work introducing his solar energy concepts and philosophy.
Zome Primer, by Steve Baer. Zome Primer explores Baer’s geometric system that underlies many of his architectural designs.
The Solar Home Book: Heating, Cooling and Designing with the Sun, by Bruce Anderson and Michael Riordan (Cheshire Books, 1976, 297pp. ISBN 978-0-917352-01-0). Contextualizes Baer’s work within the broader passive solar movement. In the Joule Heist collection.
Activism in Architecture: Bright Dreams of Passive Energy Design, edited by Margot McDonald and Carolina Dayer (Routledge, 2018. ISBN 978-1-138-74143-0). Chapter 4, “Harold Hay’s influence and the Zomeworks Corporation,” is authored by Steve Baer — a primary source on the Hay → Zomeworks connection. Chapter 12 covers Hay’s roof pond in cold climates; chapter 15 on resilience as a driver of passive design.

Extended Reading

A Golden Thread: 2500 Years of Solar Architecture and Technology, by Ken Butti and John Perlin (Cheshire Books, 1980, 289pp. ISBN 978-0-917352-07-2). Provides historical context for Baer’s innovations. In the Joule Heist collection.
Soft Energy Paths: Toward a Durable Peace, by Amory Lovins (HarperCollins, 1979, 240pp. ISBN 978-0-060906-53-5). Complements Baer’s philosophy of appropriate, sustainable technology. In the Joule Heist collection.
The Passive Solar Energy Book (Expanded Professional Edition), by Edward Mazria (Rodale Press, 1979, 687pp. ISBN 978-0-878572-38-0). Offers practical applications that align with Baer’s passive cooling concepts. In the Joule Heist collection.
Passive Solar Design Handbook (Volumes I, II, III), by J. Douglas Balcomb et al., U.S. Department of Energy (1980-1984). The definitive technical reference for passive solar design, produced by Los Alamos National Laboratory. Provides detailed design methodologies, performance data, and calculation methods that became the industry standard.
Super Solar Houses, by William A. Shurcliff (Brick House Publishing, 1983, 140pp. ISBN 978-0-931790-48-5). A focused survey of high-performance passive solar house design. Shurcliff was a Harvard physicist who independently tracked passive solar developments for decades. In the Joule Heist collection; not previously in the wiki.
Passive Solar Architecture: Heating, Cooling, Ventilation, Daylighting and More Using Natural Flows, by David Bainbridge and Ken Haggard. A comprehensive modern text covering all aspects of passive solar design using natural energy flows. Bainbridge founded the Passive Solar Institute and this work synthesizes decades of research and practice.
Passive Solar House Basics, by Peter Van Dresser. Written by a New Mexico pioneer who built some of the first passive solar houses in the 1950s. Van Dresser’s practical experience and early advocacy laid groundwork for the broader movement. (ISBN: 978-0941270908)
The Owner-Built Home, by Ken Kern. Shares Baer’s DIY ethos and self-sufficiency approach.
Direct Use of the Sun’s Energy by Farrington Daniels. A book that explores methods of harnessing solar energy for practical applications. It covers topics like solar radiation, collectors, cooking, heating water, drying, heat storage, and even solar furnaces and engines, explained in a way that is accessible to a general audience.
“Zome Geometry”, by George W. Hart and Henri Picciotto. Expands on the mathematical principles behind Baer’s structural designs, and intersects with Paul Hildebrandt’s work creating Zometool.

Exploratory Reading

Domebook One (1970) and Domebook 2 (1971), by Lloyd Kahn. Seminal publications from the Whole Earth Catalog era documenting dome building techniques and featuring work from Drop City and other communes. These books helped popularize geodesic domes and alternative architecture during the counterculture movement.
Shelter, by Lloyd Kahn and Bob Easton (Shelter Publications, 1973; reprint 2000, 176pp. ISBN 978-0-936070-11-7). Often called “Domebook 3,” this expanded beyond domes to showcase diverse building methods from around the world. A classic of alternative architecture that influenced a generation of owner-builders. In the Joule Heist collection.
Homegrown Sundwellings, by Peter Van Dresser (Lightning Tree Press, 1977, 135pp. ISBN 978-0-890160-33-6). Van Dresser’s practical guide to owner-built solar homes in the New Mexico tradition — complements his theoretical and landscape works.
A Landscape for Humans, by Peter Van Dresser (Lightning Tree Press, 1976, 128pp. ISBN 978-0-890160-05-3). An early work on sustainable living and appropriate technology in the New Mexico landscape. Van Dresser’s vision integrated passive solar design with ecological principles and regional self-reliance. In the Joule Heist collection.
The Straw Bale House, by David Bainbridge, Athena Swentzell Steen, and Bill Steen. Important work on alternative building materials using straw bales for insulation and structure. Complements passive solar approaches with sustainable, low-cost construction methods.
“Living Off the Grid with Steve Baer”, article in Mother Earth News (1970s). This article documents Baer’s practical implementations at his Zomeworks compound.
Natural Solar Architecture: A Passive Primer, by David Wright (Van Nostrand Reinhold, 1984, 272pp. ISBN 978-0-442293-65-9). Offers complementary passive design strategies. Two copies in the Joule Heist collection.
Design for a Limited Planet, by Norma Skurka and Jon Naar. This book features Baer’s early work alongside other ecological designers.
The Integral Urban House, by Sim Van der Ryn. This book applies similar principles to urban environments.
“The Dome Builder’s Handbook”, by John Prenis. Explores alternative structures influenced by Baer’s geometric thinking.
Radical Technology, edited by Godfrey Boyle and Peter Harper. This book places Baer’s work in the context of appropriate technology movement.
The Solar House: Passive Heating and Cooling, by Daniel D. Chiras. Provides updated passive solar techniques building on pioneers like Baer.

Articles and Online Resources

“Steve Baer and the double-play thermosiphon”, by Cem S. Kayatekin — ICON: Journal of the International Committee for the History of Technology, vol. 30, no. 2 (2025). The first academic paper to establish the Baer House and Zomeworks in the international scholarly record, tracing the lineage from the New Communalist counterculture through Drop City and the Lama Foundation to the 2002 Cool Cell patent. Describes a “broadly overlooked” chapter of American engineering history. Ingested in full.
“Harold Hay, Skytherm, and the Quest for Passive Cooling” - Architect Magazine. An in-depth article exploring Harold Hay’s innovative Skytherm passive cooling system, which uses water-filled roof ponds for thermal regulation. This work parallels and complements Steve Baer’s passive solar approaches. https://www.architectmagazine.com/technology/harold-hay-skytherm-and-the-quest-for-passive-cooling_o
“Harold R. Hay: Skytherm Pioneer” - Mother Earth News. A profile of Harold Hay and his groundbreaking work developing the Skytherm passive heating and cooling system. Documents his experimental approach and practical implementations that influenced the passive solar movement. https://www.motherearthnews.com/sustainable-living/nature-and-environment/harold-r-hay-zmaz76soztak/

Reading List

Extended Reading

Exploratory Reading

Articles and Online Resources

See Also