Is Traditional Air Conditioning Outdated? Smarter Cooling for a Warming World – Ep 74 with Dorit Aviv
In this episode of Better Buildings for Humans, host Joe Menchefski welcomes Dorit Aviv, architect, researcher, and founder of the Thermal Architecture Lab at the University of Pennsylvania. Dorit shares her journey from designing passive cooling systems to pioneering new ways buildings can interact with their climate through material science and thermodynamics.
The conversation explores how architecture can move beyond conventional air conditioning, using radiant cooling, adaptive materials, and full-scale prototypes to create more sustainable and comfortable spaces. Dorit explains the importance of designing for real-world conditions, from urban cooling shelters to cutting-edge research on carbon-absorbing concrete.
With a deep focus on the interplay between energy, comfort, and sustainability, Dorit’s work challenges how we think about cooling, climate resilience, and the built environment. Whether you’re an architect, engineer, or just fascinated by the future of design, this episode is full of inspiration and innovation. Don’t miss it!
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More About Dorit Aviv
Dorit Aviv, PhD, AIA, is an Assistant Professor of Architecture at the Weitzman School of Design, specializing in sustainability and environmental performance. She is the director of the Thermal Architecture Lab, a cross-disciplinary laboratory at the intersection of thermodynamics, architecture, and material science. Her work examines synergies between renewable environmental forces and architectural materials and forms. Aviv is a licensed architect and holds a PhD in architectural technology from Princeton University. Her prototypes for passive and low-energy cooling have won major international awards, including a Holcim Award for Sustainable Design and Construction for a prototype of passive cooling in desert climate in 2021 and a Ramboll Foundation grant to investigate applications of radiant cooling for urban shelters in 2024.
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