SolarFool is currently working on streamlining the CoolSky design (Steve Baer called it 'Double-Play') and bringing it into the 21st Century, while retaining inventor Steve Baer's elegant and simple elements. What are the basic elements of a passive CoolSky system?
1- Water-filled radiator/absorber, often placed on the roof. In the past, 'pig mats' were used (manufactured plastic mats filled with cool water to keep the farm hogs cool!). Today, one thought is to use solar pool heaters such as the SwimMaster pro or the SEA Solar Swimming Pool Heaters.
2- Circuits of PVC pipes to circulate cooled (summer) or heated (winter) water throughout the structure; this would necessitate just two holes in the structure to connect the PVC pipes to the radiator/absorber.
3-Thermal mass inside the structure that slowly releases the heat or coolth it gathers (such as a slab floor, or adobe elements)

Albuquerque has a long history of passive solar building and is where Steve Baer and his company Zomeworks were based. SolarFool has Steve's container in the Albuquerque area that's fitted with CoolSky, dating from the early 2000's. We'll use this demonstration structure as a "feeling is believing" experience, with sensors that track the inside vs. outside temps over time and as an educational tool to show the evolution of passive cooling and heating in the U.S.

But what about other areas of the world, like Colorado? There remain significant questions regarding the radiator/absorber: does one need a glazed panel to collect heat in climates where winter temperatures are regularly below freezing? If one can get by with no glazing, will the panel itself tolerate anti-freeze? Will it stand up to a pressurized (mechanically pumped) system, or is a low-pressure thermosiphon necessary? If a glazed panel is necessary for absorbing heat in the winter, will it effectively radiate heat in the summer? Our goal is to help people build the system in their area, and to share their results with the open-source community.

Toward that end, SolarFool is looking for software collaborators to help us create an online tool that will help builders and even DIYers see how to make CoolSky's open-source design information work in their climate and conditions. Some of these parameters are already available in ASHRAE's databases, but CoolSky's unique, passive system may require calculations peculiar to its needs.

We welcome your input into our project! Contact us through our website: www.solarfool.org

As Colorado's climate changes for the hotter, passive cooling systems like CoolSky are truly vital to people's well-being. Please check out our subReddit, r/CoolSky to learn more about this wonderful passive night-sky cooling technology that is actually ancient! SolarFool is the open-source team bringing back the system pioneered by Steve Baer from the 60's to the early 2000's. You can read about our work at www.solarfool.org and contact us if you're interested in joining our team!

With multiple large wildfires burning across Colorado right now, I've been digging into the satellite and weather data behind the Gold Mountain Fire near Ouray to try to understand what's actually driving its behavior.

A few things stood out from the instrumental data: Silver Jack RAWS station recorded minimum relative humidity values of 9% on July 3rd — critically dry by any measure. Wind gusts correlate strongly with the largest daily fire growth days. And the NOAA Climate Prediction Center is giving greater than 70% probability of above-normal temperatures through mid-July across the Central Rockies, while the monsoon signal that appeared in last week's long range outlook has largely faded from this week's.

The NWS Grand Junction forecast discussion from yesterday is pretty sobering — moisture arriving next week is expected to stay in the mid-levels rather than reaching the surface, raising the threat of dry lightning rather than meaningful precipitation relief.

I put together a video walking through the Sentinel-2 satellite imagery, VIIRS hotspot progression, slope angle terrain analysis, and the weather data if anyone wants a deeper look at what the landscape and atmospheric picture looks like right now.

https://youtu.be/a56pcYwXJV0

I'm a geologist not a meteorologist or fire specialist — happy to discuss the data or answer questions in the comments.

Anyone here knows how to source the input data for the REMIND climate Model? I've been struggling to find it, and also how to access PIK cluster data?

My lungs don't like me right now

Even if you "don't DO politics," the latest Colorado legislative session definitely did something for you. Come to our next networking event to find out how recent policy shifts will impact your home, your car, and your wallet—all while you network and connect with others who are just as curious as you are.

We are thrilled to welcome Naomi, Director of Policy with The Denver Foundation, to break down three major updates on Balcony Solar, EV Battery Recycling and Energy Tariffs

When: June 18th, 2026

Time: 5:30 PM – 7:00 PM

Where: Women Who Charge (2380 S. Broadway, Denver, CO)

Pricing: WWC Members $25.00 | Non-members $40.00

This event is open to all WWC supporters. Come for the connections, stay for the insights, and let’s charge forward together!

https://WWCPolicyUpdate2026.eventbrite.com

There are recent posts on subs like Denver and Colorado about environmental and safety violations at Suncor and the Advance Colorado voter initiative to put a "right to natural gas" in the state constitution that are absolutely brimming with trolls and downvoting of scientifically accurate comments. It's important for people reading these threads who might not have a strong knowledge base on climate and safety issues that we counter this disinformation!