March 8-9, 2017, Sede Boqer Campus
Rationale:
In an era of climate change and increased urbanization decision makers are facing a challenge to mitigate and adapt to the combined effect of society and nature. Furthermore, given the expected climate change where most cities are to become hotter and drier, desert environments can be considered as a lab for years to come. Within this context, we would like to hold a workshop on March 8-9, 2017. The workshop will focus on Desert Architecture combining insights on climate change processes with knowledge on environmentally responsive architecture and urban design, aiming to mitigate climatic exacerbation and adapt to changing climates. Discussion topics will include measuring and modeling the Urban Heat Island (UHI) , energy usage, thermal comfort, and more.
Prof. Anthony Brazel, internationally acknowledged climatologist from the Arizona State University (ASU) from readily agreed to attend our workshop. Prof. Brazel is a renowned climatologist and a world expert on climate change and its implications on urban environments, UHI among them. We also will host Dr. Ariane Midell from ASU, a young scientist with numerous publications on urban climate modeling and impact of urban design on climate, and Mr. James Wang from the National Parks Board’s Centre for Urban Ecology in singapor.
Given the similarity between the Negev and Arizona deserts, the Workshop will give the opportunity to local scientists and students to discuss their research activities and exchange ideas with our guest scientists. It will also give the opportunity to students to present their results to and discuss them with leading scientists, an opportunity that is not always possible in other meetings and conferences.
Objectives:
1. Provide a professional gathering centered on urban climate responsive architecture, instigating direct dialogue between architects, planners and climatologists.
2. Create an active forum of experts centered on urban climate.
3. Identify gaps and develop a framework for future proposals.
Program:
The workshop will be held on March 8-9, 2017. The first day will be devoted to lectures/open talks as detailed below. The second day will focus on personal meetings and round table discussions aimed to identify potential topics for collaboration.
