| Born: 1962, USA |
Academic Qualifications:B.Arch. , 1986, Universty of Texas at Austin, Architecture
M.A. , 1996, Ben-Gurion Universty, Geography and Environmental Development
Ph.D. , 2006, Technion - Israel Institute of Technology, Architecture and Town Planning
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Academic Positions:
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Research Interests:
Topics in desert architecture and related fields including: Bioclimatic design, focusing on the geometry of building envelopes and elements. Passive and low-energy solutions for heating and cooling. Urban microclimate, energy balance and thermal comfort in open spaces. Sustainable developmentand appropriate planning for sparsely populated arid regions. |
Research Projects:
Microclimatic Analysis of Urban Open Spaces Under Arid Conditions. D. Pearlmutter, P. Berliner.
Innovations in Down Draft Cool Tower Technology for Low-energy Evaporative Cooling of Public Spaces. E. Erell, D. Pearlmutter, Y. Etzion.
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Abstracts of Current Research:- Innovations in Down-Draft Cool-Tower (DDCT) Technology for Low-energy Evaporative Cooling of Public Spaces: In order to extend the use of evaporative space cooling to exterior or semi-enclosed spaces, a down-draft evaporative cool tower was developed and integrated in the design of a 500 m2 glazed courtyard located at the heart of a building complex built in Sede-Boqer. The prominent innovation in this type of system is the potential for passive generation of downward air flow by free convection, due to the thermal processes of evaporation through the 10 meter height of the tower. Analysis of the system`s performance showed dry bulb temperature reductions of up to 14 degrees C, a peak cooling output of over 100 kW with a wet bulb depression ratio (cooling efficiency) of 85-90% during all hours of operation, and a water consumption rate of 1-2 cu.m./day.Ongoing research is aimed at optimizing the performance of this type of system by investigating specific design parameters, including:? the influence of air inlet configuration and location (including multi-stage intake) on performance in fan-assisted or purely passive operation;? the effects of water sprayer configuration on the air flow rate through the tower and on the tower?s cooling performance; and? the aerodynamic effect of various horizontal and longitudinal cross sections of the tower envelope.
- Microclimatic Analysis of Urban Open Spaces Under Arid Conditions: While urban design guidelines have been developed for responding to climate in various regions, these recommendations are often based more on intuition or sporadic observation than on an integrated microclimatic analysis of thermal comfort conditions. Quantitative studies on desert environments are especially lacking, since most arid regions remain sparsely populated. In the present study, empirical data taken from extensive measurements in a variety of urban spaces in the arid Negev region of Israel are integrated with a simple numerical model representing the overall thermal energy exchange between a pedestrian and the street canyon environment. The integrated thermal index produced allows a comprehensive means for comparing geometric alternatives and generating guidelines which can aid in the design of urban spaces under climatically similar conditions. Analysis has shown that for linear streets, a compact sectional geometry can significantly moderate the thermal extremes of a desert climate. Ongoing studies will focus on the role of energy exchange by evaporation in spaces such as streets and internal courtyards, and the effects of vegetation as well as arrchitectural detailing and finish materials.
- Strategies for Sustainable Urban Settlement in Arid Regions: This series of research studies is devoted to identifying patterns of urban settlement in desert areas which are sustainable over time - environmentally, economically and socially. Indicators of sustainable growth have been identified which relate to such diverse factors as interurban migration balance, variations in the rates of housing construction within individual towns and cities, and clustering patterns of settlements within a region. Based on the findings of such analyses, strategies for increasing the sustainability of development in arid regions such as the Negev are formulated, incorporating public policy and free market mechanisms as well as urban planning techniques.
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| Keywords:Desert Architecture, Solar Heating, Passive Cooling, Urban Microclimate, Sustainable Development, Thermal Simulation, Appropriate Technology, Building Morphology, Energy Efficiency, Architectural Research. |
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Phones:
- Phone: 972-8-6596879
- Fax: 972-8-6596881
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