Jonathan Zimmerman has been solving the energy crisis for almost 30 years.

As a young architect coming of professional age during the energy crisis of the early '70s, Zimmerman threw himself into the then-new field of air-formed domes, buildings that he claims can be heated and cooled for a fraction of traditional construction. Three decades later, with electricity and natural gas prices heating us out of house and home, the Fairfax architect is still not sure people are ready to listen.

"It hasn't happened in 30 years," he says. "We're not going to change unless we have to. We're perfectly happy to buy the energy lemon."

That's not stopping him. It never did.

"The fire never went out," says, Zimmerman who, at 56 still calls architecture a "calling."
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The following are Jonathan's thoughts on how to get started on a project.

Architecture is often called the “Mother of the Arts.” It is really a combination of many things. It is an amalgam of art, science, technology and philosophies of design, but above all, architecture is a service. It is my job to design what you want, but I will need your help in gathering the information enabling me to do so.

We start by looking at your project requirements and feasibility: project type, building size and features, location, budget, climate, schedule, financing, and other factors influencing the success of your project. In order for any thin-shell concrete project to come to fruition, it must be clearly determined that you will be allowed to build it. Are there any restrictive covenants, which go with the land or planning regulations that might prohibit construction? Such restrictions could affect overall design or actual construction materials used. Your real estate agent, banker, or attorney can clarify this.
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Flying back from a series of meetings regarding the design of a new project in upstate New York, I realized that designing concrete domes is an occupation which always places me behind the count at the start of every meeting. I had met with the client’s mechanical engineer, civil engineer, general contractor, excavation contractor and radiant floor contractor. I began each meeting with 4 strikes against me.

Strike 1: What is this balloon business? Do I really expect to be taken seriously? Ninety-nine out of a hundred people have never heard of designing a balloon to inflate to the size and shape of the desired building, spraying rigid foam insulation onthe inside surface of the inflated form, pinning steel rebar like latitude and longitude lines to the foam, spraying concrete to cover the steel armature, creating openings in the shell by where you choose not to place the steel and not to spray the concrete, while doing all of this from inside of the inflated balloon. Without having heard of it or having seen it before, it sounds pretty crazy!

Strike 2: All of the consultants were concerned for the welfare of their client, who is a widow investing all of her resources into this new home. Do I really think they are going to let their client be exploited by some wild-eyed domaniac?
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Because of a change in family fortune, Choi Su-weon (Kim Ha-neul), a homely 21-year old English major, is forced to give private lessons to high school students to cover her college tuition. Unfortunately, it is not as easy a job as she has imagined. She quits her first teaching job after being sexually harassed by a couple of twelve-year olds, and reluctantly accepts an offer to tutor another high school student only after her mother makes it clear that she would otherwise be unable to pay her tuition. Su-weon’s new charge, Kim Ji-hun (Kwong Sang-woo), is the same age as her, having failed the same grade twice.
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	Mark and Valerie Sigler live in Pensacola Beach, Florida. Twice their home had been damaged by hurricanes. Last year, the Siglers applied for a special FEMA grant to those whose homes had previously been storm damaged, to tear down their house and build a storm resistant home instead. Out of 11,000 grant submittals, two were accepted and the Siglers were one of them.

My design was based upon the requirement that no living spaces be at the ground level, where they could be destroyed by wind driven water. Only parking was permitted at the first floor. The living, dining and kitchen areas as well as three bedrooms are on the second floor. The master bedroom suite with private sun decks is on the third floor. This suite can be closed off and separate from the rest of the house. The house is rented out during the tourist season, and the owners have the option of leasing out the second floor only or both second and third floors.
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