The Straits Times writes about presentations at the GHHIN Southeast Asia Heat Health Forum. The four-day event gathered experts to explore solutions for protecting people from extreme heat due to rising temperatures. CBE’s Stefano Schiavon presented the results of a study of a hybrid cooling strategy with fans and air conditioning. Office occupants experienced two conditions: 79°F (26.5°C) with ceiling fans and air conditioning, and also at 75°F (24°C) with only air conditioning. The study found similar comfort levels in both settings, with the fan-plus-AC method reducing energy use by 30%.

The article highlights the growing importance of wind-centric urban design in response to extreme urban heat caused by climate change. Innovations like Hong Kong’s wind-optimized campus and Singapore’s breezeways exemplify how architecture can harness wind effectively. CBE’s Stefano Schiavon is quoted in the article, and he notes that air movement improves thermal comfort even in hot conditions, and that wind should be actively integrated into urban design considerations.

Stefano Schiavon spoke with NPR’s Ayesha Rascoe on Weekend Edition Sunday about the benefits of fans to stay cool while saving energy, as well as other strategies to adapt to rising temperatures.

This article and radio piece describe Americans’ reliance on with air conditioning, with an anecdote of journalist Chris George attempt to go without using AC for a year in his home in Phoenix, Arizona. It notes CBE’s Gail Brager and her work around the concept of thermal delight, who explains that people benefit from variety, and that sitting in a “for hours under a river of cold air is the opposite of delightful.”

Author Adam Clark Estes illustrates this detailed article on the topic of thermostat settings with personal insights and references to national policies on the topic. He grapples with the paradox that using AC for cooling comfort contributes to global warming, and cites Stefano Schiavon who advocates for a “fans first” strategy, using fans to remain comfortable until AC use is really needed.

This article describes the benefits of using fans to keep people cool in hot weather. The author quotes CBE’s Stefano Schiavon, and also several other experts including frequent CBE collaborator Ollie Jay from the University of Sydney. The article also points to the Fans for Cooling People Guidebook for more guidance.

This article discusses the pros and cons of space heaters, especially considering their high energy consumption. UC Berkeley Professor Stefano Schiavon suggests using personal comfort devices such as foot warmers or heated blankets instead.

Although many like to stay warm and cozy in the winter, turning up the thermostat is not necessarily the best idea. Learn the reasoning behind setting a lower temperature on your thermostat with Professor Stefano Schiavon at UC Berkeley. He discusses how heat inside your home is lost to the cold outdoors, wasting energy and money.

Office buildings in the South can be notoriously cold in the summer months – or at least that’s what a majority of women would say who jokingly refer to offices in the summer as “women’s winter.”  In this podcast by the Houston Chronicle, we hear from Stefano Schiavon, professor at UC Berkley’s Center for the Built Environment, about his research into gender disparities in thermal comfort in the office and what can be done to make more employees feel comfortable.

We know, instinctually, that the way our homes look can affect how we feel — but it’s less clear how to produce the specific feelings we want. In this article, Lindsay T. Graham, PhD, shares her expertise in the psychology of space and some of the research she has done in residential spaces.