December 2024
Weitzman Faculty Receive NSF Award for Graduate Student Training Program Bridging Engineering and Architecture
Dorit Aviv is part of a cross-disciplinary team of architects and engineers selected to receive a $3 million NSF Research Traineeship (NRT) Award from the National Science Foundation and expect to have a total of 56 students (36 doctoral and 20 master students) participating in the project from Penn Engineering and the Weitzman School of Design over the course of the next five years. Students in this program will be able to pursue research across engineering, architecture, and design.
October 2024
Penn’s Climate Solutions Showcase features TAL’s work
As part of Penn’s Climate Week, faculty and postdocs from the School of Engineering and Applied Science and Weitzman School of Design presented innovative strategies to combat the causes and effects of climate change. Dorit Aviv presented TAL’s research on sustainable cooling systems designed to combat the deadly heat island effect in urban areas.
MUSE Design Awards: Data Center +
A team from the Bioclimatic Design Studio won a MUSE Design Award for their Data Center + project, featuring adaptive reuse of urban infrastructure in Philadelphia. The team includes Penn MSD-EBD graduates Tanushree Chowdhary, Tian Tian, Janet Meng-Fang Tsai, and Lydia Yuanyun Zhong.
September 2024
In the News: Toward Carbon-Negative Architecture
An Article by Matt Shaw features TAL work on buildings as carbon sinks:
“[The TAL team is] working to understand how the concrete slab prototypes designed by the PSL can act as a thermal mass to provide comfortable indoor temperatures when combined with natural ventilation. The increased surface area of the printed concrete not only helps sequester more carbon from the atmosphere, but it augments the absorption and release of heat as well, making the slab more effective as thermal mass.”
Roads to Removal symposium panel discussion: buildings as carbon sinks
On September 18th 2024, Dr. Dorit Aviv participated in a panel on the carbon storage potential of building materials, during the Roads to Removal symposium at the Kleinman Center for Energy Policy. The symposium convened University experts, Department of Energy leaders and scientists from Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, along with regional and community leaders to examine the opportunities and challenges associated with developing localized carbon dioxide removal (CDR) in response to the impacts of climate change.
TAL PhD student Ji Yoon Bae presents research at the Design Modelling Symposium in Kassel
On September 17th 2024, Ji Yoon Bae, PhD student at the Thermal Architecture Lab, presented his research in Design Modelling Symposium 2024, which took place in Kassel, Germany.
Bae’s presentation, on “SimbioBrick: Carbon Sequestering Living Bricks by Fungi-Plant Symbiosis” is a result of his collaboration with the DumoLab at the Unviesrsity of Pennsylvania Weitzman School of Design.
In the News: TAL’s project addressing the Urban Heat Island featured in article and video
The TENOPY mobile cooling station collaborative project with the North 10 community, the School of Nursing and Penn Engineering to combat the heat island effect was featured on the homepage of the University of Pennsylvania and in a news article and video on Penn Today.
August 2024
TAL researcher Zherui Wang presents work at the IASS Annual Symposium 2024 hosted by ETH Zurich in Switzerland.
PhD. candidate Zherui Wang presented his research on integrated structural form-finding and thermal mass performance for carbon reduction at the International Association for Shell and Spatial Structures Conference on August 25-29 in Zurich, Switzerland.
The presentation : “An Early Design Stage Parametric Exploration of Integrated Concrete Funicular Floor Element and Thermal Mass Performance for Carbon Footprint Reduction,” is also published in the conference proceedings.
TAL and partners earn Ramboll Foundation grant to tackle the global urban heat crisis with innovative cooling technology
We have been selected to receive $149,000 in funding from the Ramboll Foundation to develop an accessible solution to tackle urban heat. Our team will partner with architectural firm Henning Larsen to develop KlimaKover, an innovative architectural application of membrane-assisted radiant cooling technology designed for climate resiliency.
July 2024
Two conference papers by Penn students presented at the International Building Physics Conference (IBPC) in Toronto, Canada
TAL’s postdoctoral resarcher Xiang Zhang presented papers based on research by students from Penn’s Environmental Building Design program at the IBPC conference in Toronto, Canada, July 26-27 2024. The two papers, titled “Integrating Hydrophilic Material in Constructed Wall for Evaporative Cooling in Desert Climate” and “Thermal Performance of Radiantly Cooled Rammed Earth,” were written by Ming Yan, Hemant Diyalani, Dishanka Kannan; Ningxu Luo and Jenny Yujia Cui, Max Hakkarainen, Xiang Zhang, William Braham and Dorit Aviv.
In the News: TAL collaboration on improving public school’s outdoor environment featured in article
“In the heart of West Philadelphia, a major transformation has taken place, turning a neglected school space into a vibrant, functional spot designed to enhance student well-being and foster community: the Breathing Room at William L. Sayre High School. […] Dorit Aviv, assistant professor of architecture and environmental building design at Weitzman, and her students measured the heat island effect in the courtyard before and after the garden transformation.”
May 2024
TAL work featured in the annual professors meeting of the Precast Concrete Institute (PCI)
On May 28-29 the Weitzman School of Design hosted the annual professor’s meeting of the Precast Concrete Institute (PCI) and the PCI Foundation. The event was organized by Richard Garber and included faculty presentations by Garber, Robert Stuart-Smith, Dorit Aviv, and Masoud Akbarzadeh.
Carbon-absorbing concrete slabs team researchers present their work at the 2024 ARPA-E Summit in Dallas, TX
Researchers from TAL, PSL, Shu Yang Group, Kieran Timberlake and Zheng O'Neill’s lab presented their work on carbon negative building elements in the ARPA-E annual summit which took place May 22 - 24 in Dallas, Texas
TAL researchers present their work at SimBuild 2024 in Denver, Colorado
PhD. candidate Zherui Wang and postdoctoral researcher Xiang Zhang presented their work on energy modeling of thermal mass in the IBPSA-USA SimBuild 2024 Conference which took place May 21-23 in Denver Colorado.
Students present their research at ANNSIM 2024 in Washington D.C.
MSD-EBD graduate Li Pan presented his work with Zhirui Bian on insulated dynamic shading in the Annual Modeling and Simulation Conference (ANNSIM), which took place May 20-23 in the American University, Washington, D.C.
April 2024
TAL work featured in UPenn’s Material Science and Engineering Department
Dorit Aviv lectured in the Material Science and Engineering Seminar series on Thursday, April 11th, 2024. In this lecture, Aviv discussed a series of projects by the Thermal Architecture Lab which explore various methods to provide both ventilation and climatic adaptation to interior spaces across different climatic zones.
March 2024
Penn Energy Week 2024: Design and the Energy Transition
Dorit Aviv participates in a panel discussion on the role of design in the energy transition. Design of the built environment plays a crucial role in the energy transition due to its significant impact on energy consumption, greenhouse gas emissions, and land use. In addition to energy-efficient design, renewable energy technologies, and smart building systems, design is central to the many forms of adaptation necessitated by the climate change, from managing flooding and sea level rise to carbon capture.
February 2024
Dorit Aviv and colleagues to lead the design of a thermal shelter for a community in North Philadelphia affected by heat stress
The Thermal Architecture Lab and colleagues from the School of Engineering and the School of Nursing receive funding from Penn4C to design of a thermal shelter addressing heat island effect in North Philadelphia in collaboration with the North10 community organization.
In the News: Why do we need external solar shading?
Dorit Aviv interviewed about the significance of solar shading design for energy savings and daylighting. Learn more…
December 2023
Joint article to TAL and Shu Yang Group appears on the cover of Advanced Sustainable Systems
An article on solar-reflective kirigami shading system, a result of collaboration between Shu Yang Group and Thermal Architecture Lab, was selected for the cover of the December 2023 issue of Advanced Sustainable Systems journal:
Heesuk Jung, Miaomiao Hou, Byungsoo Kang, Zherui Wang, Hyojeong Choi, Hyeong Won Lee, Yongju Lee, Doh-Kwon Lee, Phillip Lee, Dorit Aviv, Hyeok Kim, Shu Yang. "Large‐Scaled and Solar‐Reflective Kirigami‐Based Building Envelopes for Shading and Occupants’ Thermal Comfort." Advanced Sustainable Systems 7, no. 12 (2023): 2370036.
January 2023
Fireside Chat on Energy Monitoring Using Blockchain Technology and IoT Infrastructure
On January 9, 2023, the Stevens Center for Innovation in Finance at Wharton hosted a conversation with Professor Dorit Aviv of the Weitzman School of Design on Distributed Energy Monitoring using Blockchain/loT Infrastructure. Hosted by Professor Sarah Hammer, Managing Director of the Stevens Center for Innovation in Finance at Wharton, and moderated by Joseph Jasperse, Student Director of the Stevens Center Blockchain Lab.
June 2022
Dorit Aviv and colleagues to receive a $2.4M ARPA-E Grant led by Penn team to research Tuning Buildings into Carbon Storaage Structures
Thermal Architecture Lab will be participating in a Department of Energy ARPA-E grant funded research on Turning Buildings into Carbon Storage Structures using lightweight carbon-absorbing concrete with thermal mass temperature attenuation and natural ventilation. Looking forward to collaborating on this with: Masoud Akbarzadeh (Grant PI), Shu Yang, and Peter Psarras (UPenn), Mohammad Bolhassani (CUNY), Zheng O'Neill (TUAM), Billie Faircloth and Ryan Welch (KieranTimberlake), and Didier Lootens (Sika, Switzerland).
“The increased surface area of the novel concrete structure is beneficial for achieving comfort temperature ranges indoors through thermal mass heat storage. “We will combine natural ventilation strategies with the exposed concrete slab system to achieve a major reduction in the operational energy of the building over the building's life cycle,” said Dorit Aviv, director of the Thermal Architecture Lab, Weitzman School of Design, University of Pennsylvania.
December 2021
In the News: Work on naturally ventilated school design featured on Penn Today
“Public schools, COVID-19, and addressing education’s aging infrastructure: urban planners and architects are working to address one of the many challenges faced by public schools by designing healthy and engaging outdoor educational spaces.”
November 2021
In the News: BlockPenn is featured in article on blockchain technology research at Penn
The BlockPenn project for distributed energy monitoring and environmental sensing using blockchain/IoT infrastructure was featured in an article on what the future blockchain looks like, from business and banking, laws and regulation, to environmental impact.
Hydroculus wins an Acknowledgement Prize from the Hoclim Foundation for Sustainable Construction
In a ceremony held in Venice on November 13, 2021, the Hydroculus prototype for evaporative and radiative cooling received an Acknowledgment Prize as part of the 6th Award cycle of the Holcim Awards for Sustainable Construction.
October 2021
A conversation about energy management and conservation using blockchain technology
Thermal Architecture Lab director Dorit Aviv participated in a conversation with Professor Yuichi Ikeda of Kyoto University about their projects examining how to use blockchain technology for energy monitoring and conservation as part of the UBRI Connect 2021 conference. Work on the BlockPenn project is funded by Ripple UBRI initiative.
September 2021
Sustainability and the Built Environment: Building Materials and Cooling Strategies that Combat a Warming Planet; Climate Week At Penn 2021
As part of the Climate Week at Penn, Thernal Architecture Lab Director Dorit Aviv, and Penn faculty members Prof. William Braham and Prof. Shu Yang will be on the panel with industry experts on Sustainability and the Built Environment: Building Materials and Cooling Strategies that Combat a Warming Planet.
Event time: Monday, September 24, 12 pm. More details here.
July 2021
Log’rithms: The Science of Architecture highlights Weitzman Architecture faculty and the Hydroculus project in CityX Venice exhibition
A virtual conversation organized by City X and Log, and hosted by the journal’s editor Cynthia Davidson, featured presentations by Dorit Aviv, Laia Mogas-Soldevila, Karel Klein, Ferda Kolatan, Masoud Akbarzadeh, and Robert Stuart-Smith will be followed by discussions moderated by Winka Dubbeldam.
June 2021
In the News: An interview for Health Europa Magazine about about space design with UVC disinfection technology
Dr. Dorit Aviv of the University of Pennsylvania and Dr Jovan Pantelic of KU Leuven tell HEQ about optimising space design to incorporate UVC disinfection technology.
Hydroculus in the Venice Biennale
The Hydroculus adaptive wind-catcher combining evaporative and radiative cooling in desert climate, featured in the virtual Italian Pavilion of the Venice Biennale curated by Tom Kovac and Alessandro Melis and titled CITYX Venice with creative director Winka Dubbeldam and colleagues from Penn's Weitzman School of Design.
May 2021
In the News: A Better Way to Cool Ourselves
Our co-authored opinion piece published in Scientific American about developing a healthier and more sustainable alternative to air conditioning.
April 2021
BlockPenn Project is featured in the 2021 Planetary Health Conference
The BlockPenn distributed energy and environmental sensing network using blockchain/IoT infrastructure was featured in the Planetary Health 2021 conference, in a panel on how to increase sustainability and bio-diversity using blockchain technology.
In the News: “A novel radiant cooling system saves energy and fights COVID at the same time”
An article in Anthropocene Magazine reports on our recent work on radiant cooling and natural ventilation potential.
In the News: “The power of architecture to address public health and environmental crises”
An Penn Today article covers two of our recent studies, one on UV disinfection in occupied rooms and another on radiative cooling, which show how architecture can help create interior spaces that are both COVID-safe and energy-efficient.
March 2021
In the News: An article on Penn Today features work from the Thermal Architecture Lab on Energy and water autonomy for off-grid waterfront floating structures
Floating structures like Brooklyn’s BlueCity Lab (BCL) are designed to adapt to rising waters. But their locations present a major operational challenge: functioning without connections to central water and energy infrastructure. At the Stuart Weitzman School of Design, Dorit Aviv’s Thermal Architecture Lab is collaborating with Penn’s Water Center and the RETI Center, the creators of BCL, to develop autonomous utilities systems for off-grid floating structures.
February 2021
Presentation to ASHRAE Philadelphia and New Jersey Chapters
Dorit Aviv presented recent work to the ASHRAE chapters of Philadelphia and New Jersey together with Prof. Forrest Meggers of Princeton University (CHAOS Lab), during the chapter’s February meeting.
January 2021
Student Work Selected for London Design Biennale
A project by recent MSD-EBD graduates Suryakiran Prabhakaran, Abinayaa Perezhilan, and Di Sung will be featured at the London Design Biennale in June 2021.
An energy-efficient datacenter for the hot-dry climate, the design was produced in a 2020 studio led by Dorit Aviv, director of the Thermal Architecture Lab.
December 2020
1st World CAAD PhD Workshop
Dr. Aviv participates as a panelist in the 1st World CAAD PhD Workshop, organized by sibling CAAD organizations ACADIA, ASCAAD, CAADRIA, eCAADe, and SIGraDi to provide a platform for collaboration and knowledge sharing serving the global CAAD community.
The workshop is virtually hosted by Istanbul Technical University Department of Architecture and Architectural Design Computing Graduate Program and broadcasted online on December 7-9, 2020.
Special Session on COVID-19 impact on Energy at the 12th International Conference on Applied Energy
Dr. Aviv presents research on the potential impact of COVID-19 on buildings’ energy consumption, in the 12th International Conference on Applied Energy, held online on December 1-10, 2020.
November 2020
In the News: An article on Penn Today features work from the Thermal Architecture Lab on COVID-19 mitigation strategies
How can we open up buildings to natural ventilation for healthier indoor environments and still maintain temperature control? An article at Penn Today features work from the Thermal Architecture Lab on virus spread prevention technologies, natural ventilation, and radiant cooling.
The Water Center at Penn’s 2020 Student Award
Mrinalini Verma, MSD-EBD student at Penn and researcher at the Thermal Architecture Lab, receives the 2020 Water Center at Penn’s Student Award, to conduct research on water treatment strategies for waterfront adaptive structures. This work will continue Mrinalini's previous resarch at the Thermal Architecture Lab on the Blue City Lab floating infrastructure project.
October 2020
New paper from the Thermal Architecture Lab is featured in the ACADIA 2020 conference
On Thursday, October 29, we are preseting live on the ACADIA 2020 online conference our ongoing research on Surface Generation of Radiantly-Cooled Building Skin for Desert Climate.
Authors: Dorit Aviv, Zherui Wang, Forrest Meggers, Aletheia Ida
In the News: A new podcast features the BlockPenn Project
"All About Blockchain" podcast series features our project BlockPenn: Distributed Energy Monitoring and Environmental Sensing Network Using Blockchain/IoT Infrastructure. How can we use blockchain technology with IoT sensors to achieve energy savings and improve indoor environmental quality?
A new podcast about our BlockPenn project that does just that.
Rethinking Concrete: Material Conventions in the Anthropocene
Dorit Aviv Participates in the in Rethinking Concrete: Material Conventions in the Anthropocene, an interdisciplinary conference organized by Forrest Meggers and Lucia Allais which discusses new approaches to the lifespan, material dynamics, cultural history, and design potential of reinforced concrete.
September 2020
Groundbreaking research on cooling without air conditioning
Dorit Aviv is part of a group of researchers who constructed a radiant cooling pavilion in Singapore, demonstrating a method of cooling people without cooling the air. Instead, surfaces are chilled, and thermal radiation is used to keep people cool. A thermally transparent membrane is used to prevent unwanted air cooling and condensation, a required precursor to deploying radiant cooling panels without humidity control in tropical environments. The research team includes Eric Teitelbaum, Kian Wee Chen, Kipp Bradford and Forrest Meggers of Princeton University, Denon Sheppard and Adam Rysanek of University of British Columbia, Jovan Pantelic of UC Berkeley, and Lea Ruefenacht of Singapore-ETH Centre.
August 2020
BlockPenn: A Distributed Energy Monitoring and Environmental Sensing Network Using Blockchain Technology
Assistant Professor of Architecture Dorit Aviv and Professor of Architecture William Braham have received funding to pilot a blockchain, distributed-ledger network for energy and environmental sensing across the Penn campus. Supported by the Wharton Ripple Blockchain Research Fund, which was launched in 2018, the network will facilitate collaborative experiments by students from different schools and departments, including the Weitzman School of Design, Wharton, and CIS.