CBE in the News

Cities are getting hotter. Designing them to be windier could help.

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.

The trouble with air conditioning: ‘Damned if you do, damned if you don’t’

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.”

Stop setting your thermostat at 72: Let’s settle the heated debate over your AC, once and for all.

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.

Texas Summers, Women’s Winters

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.

The Science Behind Those Comfy, Cozy Holiday Feelings

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.

Psychology and the Post-Pandemic Workplace

In this free e-book from the American Psychological Association (APA), CBE researcher Lindsay T. Graham, PhD, discusses workplace wellbeing and the need to reimagine the workplace (including the psychological needs of occupants) as we re-enter office buildings in some capacity as pandemic restrictions are lifted.

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