Cooling as Urban Infrastructure

1 HSW pending

Featuring Dorit Aviv, PhD, AIA Director, Thermal Architecture Lab, Weitzman School of Design, University of Pennsylvania.

Presented by the AIA New Jersey Technology in Architectural Practice (TAP) Committee, the TAP Lecture Series brings nationally recognized architects, researchers, and industry leaders to New Jersey for thought-provoking discussions on the technologies, innovations, and design strategies shaping the future of architecture.

As extreme heat becomes one of the fastest-growing climate threats, architects play a critical role in creating healthier, more resilient communities. This lecture explores cooling as an integrated system that extends beyond individual buildings to encompass neighborhoods, public spaces, and urban infrastructure. Drawing on research from the Thermal Architecture Lab, Dorit Aviv, PhD, AIA, examines how heat moves through the built environment and how architects can design spaces that reduce heat exposure while improving occupant comfort and public health.

Participants will learn how the Urban Heat Island effect disproportionately impacts vulnerable populations and how passive design strategies, material selection, landscape interventions, and low-energy cooling approaches can reduce reliance on mechanical systems while enhancing resilience. Through research findings and built examples, this session demonstrates how architects can rethink cooling as an essential component of climate-responsive design.