- +972-8-659 6878
- Microclimate urban design, Environmental Design of Buildings, Thermal comfort & Energy efficiency in hot climates, Natural ventilation as a passive cooling strategy, Buildings’ Monitoring, Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) modelling and simulation, and 3 moreEnvironmental Design, Energy efficiency, and Computational Fluid Dynamicsedit
- Evyatar Erell is an architect and researcher in the field of climate and energy in the built environment. He received... moreEvyatar Erell is an architect and researcher in the field of climate and energy in the built environment. He received a professional architecture degree from the Technion - Israel Institute of Technology, a Master's degree in Geography & Environmental Development at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, and a PhD in Architecture from the University of Adelaide. In addition to teaching, architectural design and consulting, he is involved in experimental and inter-disciplinary research, and has published on a range of topics:
Bioclimatic design of buildings, focusing on glazing systems and daylight control.
Passive and low-energy technologies for climatization of buildings, including the development and testing of systems for nocturnal radiant cooling and evaporative down-draft systems for evaporative cooling.
Urban microclimate and the design of spaces between buildings, in particular modeling the effect of urban form on energy consumption of buildings and the effects of vegetation in arid locations.
Prof. Erell is co-author of several books, including a design handbook on 'Roof Cooling Techniques' and, more recently, 'Urban Microclimate – The Design of Spaces between Buildings.
Prof. Erell is a member of several expert committees at the Israel Institute of Standards, and has contributed to drafting national standards for thermal insulation and energy certification of buildings.(Evyatar Erell is an architect and researcher in the field of climate and energy in the built environment. He received a professional architecture degree from the Technion - Israel Institute of Technology, a Master's degree in Geography & Environmental Development at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, and a PhD in Architecture from the University of Adelaide. In addition to teaching, architectural design and consulting, he is involved in experimental and inter-disciplinary research, and has published on a range of topics:<br /> Bioclimatic design of buildings, focusing on glazing systems and daylight control.<br /> Passive and low-energy technologies for climatization of buildings, including the development and testing of systems for nocturnal radiant cooling and evaporative down-draft systems for evaporative cooling.<br /> Urban microclimate and the design of spaces between buildings, in particular modeling the effect of urban form on energy consumption of buildings and the effects of vegetation in arid locations.<br />Prof. Erell is co-author of several books, including a design handbook on 'Roof Cooling Techniques' and, more recently, 'Urban Microclimate – The Design of Spaces between Buildings.<br />Prof. Erell is a member of several expert committees at the Israel Institute of Standards, and has contributed to drafting national standards for thermal insulation and energy certification of buildings.)edit
Volume mass, compressive strength, water uptake and water absorption of pressed test samples made of a mixture of coal fly-ash, slag and sodium silicate solution (water-glass) were determined. It was found that such mixtures can solidify... more
Volume mass, compressive strength, water uptake and water absorption of pressed test samples made of a mixture of coal fly-ash, slag and sodium silicate solution (water-glass) were determined. It was found that such mixtures can solidify in the open air and form water-stable materials. The composition and structure of new formations for the binder and cured material itself were established
Research Interests: Civil Engineering, Materials Science, Compressive Strength, Building, Composite Material, and 13 moreFly Ash, Water Absorption, X ray diffraction, Scanning Electron Microscope, Microstructures, Building Material, Cement Concrete Composites, Lime, Coal Fly Ash, Sodium Silicate, Compressive sampling, Siloxane, and Water uptake
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Where climatic conditions vary substantially across a country, it may be of benefit to map the potential of different areas for the application of various techniques for energy-conscious architecture. A zoning approach is proposed that is... more
Where climatic conditions vary substantially across a country, it may be of benefit to map the potential of different areas for the application of various techniques for energy-conscious architecture. A zoning approach is proposed that is based on careful selection of climatic variables from meteorological data commonly available, and which uses the statistical technique of cluster analysis for regional grouping.
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Roof ponds cooled by nocturnal long wave radiation have often been proposed as a cheap and effective means of providing thermal comfort in buildings in hot-arid locations. Many of the schemes incorporate flat-plate radiators through which... more
Roof ponds cooled by nocturnal long wave radiation have often been proposed as a cheap and effective means of providing thermal comfort in buildings in hot-arid locations. Many of the schemes incorporate flat-plate radiators through which the water is circulated at night ...
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
The desert, whose hot and dry climate is generally unsuitable for fanning without importing water, was traditionally considered an unfavorable place for human habitation. Although deserts encompass more than one-third of the world’s land... more
The desert, whose hot and dry climate is generally unsuitable for fanning without importing water, was traditionally considered an unfavorable place for human habitation. Although deserts encompass more than one-third of the world’s land mass (Maddock 1977), there are few historic and pre-historic urban settlements in desert areas. In recent years, however, the pace of desert urbanization has changed; a number of urban settlements in desert regions across the globe were either established or received a significant growth impetus. Examples include Phoenix and Tucson, Arizona; Be’er Sheva and Eilat in Israel; Pilbara in Western Australia; Ashgabat and Mary in Turkmenistan.
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
A hybrid space-cooling system for hot arid zones previously investigated by the authors was based on the nocturnal radiative cooling of water circulated through flat plate radiators. Preliminary investigations also indicated that the same... more
A hybrid space-cooling system for hot arid zones previously investigated by the authors was based on the nocturnal radiative cooling of water circulated through flat plate radiators. Preliminary investigations also indicated that the same system, with no modifications to the physical set-up, could provide a significant proportion of the winter heating requirements of buildings exposed to these climatic conditions, where
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Abstract Effective planning of building ventilation, whether passive or mechanically assisted, requires detailed information about external air temperature. This paper presents experimental evidence from Adelaide, Australia, that... more
Abstract Effective planning of building ventilation, whether passive or mechanically assisted, requires detailed information about external air temperature. This paper presents experimental evidence from Adelaide, Australia, that demonstrates substantial intra-urban variations in air temperature, whose magnitude changes across the urban space and as a function of time. A canyon air temperature computer model (CAT) capable of predicting air temperature in an urban street canyon for extended periods in a variety of weather conditions, on the basis of meteorological time series recorded at an open site exposed to the same meso-scale conditions, is then applied to illustrate the changes in the Climatic Cooling Potential (CCP) of selected urban locations when the effect of site-specific microclimate is taken into account.
Research Interests:
Preface Introduction 1. Scales of Climatic Study 2. The Urban Energy Balance 3. The Urban Heat Island 4. Urban Airflow 5. The Energy Balance of a Human Being in an Urban Space 6. Thermal Preferences 7. Application of Climatology in Urban... more
Preface Introduction 1. Scales of Climatic Study 2. The Urban Energy Balance 3. The Urban Heat Island 4. Urban Airflow 5. The Energy Balance of a Human Being in an Urban Space 6. Thermal Preferences 7. Application of Climatology in Urban Planning and Design 8. Microclimate Design Strategies in Urban Space 9. Vegetation 10. Linear Space 11. Modelling the Urban Microclimate Case Study 1: Neve Zin Case Study 2: Clarke Quay Glossary
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
This paper presents the results of a monitoring study carried out in the city of Adelaide, Australia, whose primary aim was to calibrate a model capable of predicting air temperature in an urban street canyon for extended periods in a... more
This paper presents the results of a monitoring study carried out in the city of Adelaide, Australia, whose primary aim was to calibrate a model capable of predicting air temperature in an urban street canyon for extended periods in a variety of weather conditions, on the basis of meteorological time series recorded at an open site exposed to the same meso-scale conditions (Erell and Williamson, 2006). The paper presents an analysis of variations in air temperature among the urban sites monitored, and discusses these differences in the context of established conceptual models of the urban heat island phenomenon. A complementary interpretation is proposed based on the role of the increased surface area of the active thermal mass in a typical dense urban location.
Research Interests:
First published by Earthscan in the UK and USA in 2006 Copyright © Simos Yannas, Evyatar Erell and Jose Luis Molina, 2006 All rights reserved ISBN-10: 1-84407-313-0 ISBN-13: 978-1-84407-313-9 Typesetting by Saxon Graphic Ltd Printed and... more
First published by Earthscan in the UK and USA in 2006 Copyright © Simos Yannas, Evyatar Erell and Jose Luis Molina, 2006 All rights reserved ISBN-10: 1-84407-313-0 ISBN-13: 978-1-84407-313-9 Typesetting by Saxon Graphic Ltd Printed and bound in Croatia by ...
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Abstract A model is proposed which explains the spatial distribution of different income groups in terms of the relation between the cost of living in a particular geographic area and the income of its inhabitants. The applicability of... more
Abstract A model is proposed which explains the spatial distribution of different income groups in terms of the relation between the cost of living in a particular geographic area and the income of its inhabitants. The applicability of this model to spatial inequalities in Israel is investigated, using data from five subsequent censuses of population and housing. The analysis indicates that changes in the spatial variation of various indicators of development do not follow a uniform pattern: the extent of interregional disparity differs with the indicator selected for measuring it. Furthermore, whereas development in the central part of Israel has tended to become more uniform over time, the country's peripheral regions have become more polarized. Several strategies are proposed for reducing the extent of interregional disparities.
Research Interests:
As differentials in development potential have increased in recent years (Wong 1995), overcoming inequalities in the level of socio-economic development has become a key issue for urban and regional planners worldwide. These inequalities... more
As differentials in development potential have increased in recent years (Wong 1995), overcoming inequalities in the level of socio-economic development has become a key issue for urban and regional planners worldwide. These inequalities are often the result of the spatial characteristics of the settlement pattern, reflecting differences between core and peripheral areas.
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
ABSTRACT
Research Interests:
Abstract A model is proposed which explains the spatial distribution of different income groups in terms of the relation between the cost of living in a particular geographic area and the income of its inhabitants. The applicability of... more
Abstract A model is proposed which explains the spatial distribution of different income groups in terms of the relation between the cost of living in a particular geographic area and the income of its inhabitants. The applicability of this model to spatial inequalities in Israel is investigated, using data from five subsequent censuses of population and housing. The analysis indicates that changes in the spatial variation of various indicators of development do not follow a uniform pattern: the extent of interregional disparity differs with the indicator selected for measuring it. Furthermore, whereas development in the central part of Israel has tended to become more uniform over time, the country's peripheral regions have become more polarized. Several strategies are proposed for reducing the extent of interregional disparities.
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Abstract Current discomfort glare prediction metrics usually account for at least one of the two categories of effects that induce discomfort glare – the saturation and contrast effects. Saturation-driven metrics (overall illuminance on... more
Abstract Current discomfort glare prediction metrics usually account for at least one of the two categories of effects that induce discomfort glare – the saturation and contrast effects. Saturation-driven metrics (overall illuminance on the eye) are suited for brightly lit scenes in general. On the contrary, contrast-driven metrics (luminance ratio in the field of view) usually perform better in high contrast conditions such as with small-sized bright glare sources. Only a few existing metrics consider both effects, such as the Daylight Glare Probability (DGP). However, even these “hybrid” metrics may underperform in conditions other than those considered when they were developed, such as in dim scenes with high contrast glare. This paper investigates the ability of current glare indicators to predict perceived discomfort glare in user-evaluated scenes depending on two different adaptation levels. Towards this end, we used a composite dataset of six laboratory studies performed previously and separately in various parts of the world. According to Receiver Operator Characteristics (ROC) findings and complementary statistical research, the hybrid metrics DGP and Eccologit perform best in both investigated ranges (dimmer and brighter scenes). For the single-effect metrics, the contrast-driven metrics appear to perform better than saturation-driven metrics in lower adaptation levels (dimmer scenes), while the reverse is seen in higher adaptation levels (brighter scenes). As a result, metrics that only consider one effect should be used with caution. Although hybrid metrics continue to perform well in the investigated scenes, further research is needed to extend their applicability to a larger variety of lighting conditions that may be observed in work environments.
Research Interests:
This study evaluates the performance and robustness of 22 established and newly proposed glare prediction metrics. Experimental datasets of daylight-dominated workplaces in office-like test rooms were collected from studies by seven... more
This study evaluates the performance and robustness of 22 established and newly proposed glare prediction metrics. Experimental datasets of daylight-dominated workplaces in office-like test rooms were collected from studies by seven research groups in six different locations (Argentina, Denmark, Germany, Israel, Japan and the United States). The variability in experimental setups, locations and research teams allowed reliable evaluation of the performance and robustness of glare metrics for daylight-dominated workplaces. Independent statistical methods were applied to individual datasets and also to one combined dataset to evaluate the performance and robustness of the 22 glare metrics. As performance and robustness are not established in literature, we defined performance as: (1) the ability of the metric value to describe the glare scale (evaluated by Spearman rank correlation), and (2) the ability of the metric to distinguish between disturbing and non-disturbing situations (eval...
Research Interests:
The willingness of private individuals in Israel to invest in energy-saving retrofit of the envelope of residential buildings was studied by means of a survey. Responses show that awareness of the need to conserve energy is high, but that... more
The willingness of private individuals in Israel to invest in energy-saving retrofit of the envelope of residential buildings was studied by means of a survey. Responses show that awareness of the need to conserve energy is high, but that willingness to participate in a retrofit project is modest and is limited to relatively small outlays. The decision on whether to retrofit at all, and then how much to invest in the project, is characterized as a two-stage process in which different factors may affect the outcome of each of the two stages. The major barrier to building retrofit is the perception (justified, in most cases) that the direct economic benefit to the homeowner from the resulting energy saving is small, and that given Israel's relatively mild climate, the payback period is very long. The stamp of approval provided by a government subsidy of 25% would have a large non-proportional effect on willingness to undertake building retrofit. Funding for the subsidy could be obtained from a Pigovian levy on electricity, applied for a limited period, and its environmental benefits outweigh the cost of the subsidy itself.
Research Interests:
The level of thermal stress experienced by pedestrians in an urban environment is affected by their exchange of energy with their surroundings, and the properties of ground-cover vegetation can have an important influence on this energy... more
The level of thermal stress experienced by pedestrians in an urban environment is affected by their exchange of energy with their surroundings, and the properties of ground-cover vegetation can have an important influence on this energy exchange − particularly in terms of radiation. Although vegetated surfaces have a low albedo and thus absorb a large part of the solar radiation incident upon them, they can maintain lower temperatures than typical paved surfaces because they are cooled by evapotranspiration. The purpose of this research is to examine the cooling effect of “succulent” surface cover plants that are adapted to arid climates, in comparison to plants such as grass that require substantially more irrigation. The research site, in the Negev desert of southern Israel, consists of several small test plots with different species of succulents and other plants, along with dry ground surfaces. Measurements of surface temperature and albedo provide input for comprehensive pedestrian thermal comfort modeling using the Index of Thermal Stress, assuming an open space scenario with various surface cover treatments. Water requirements of the different plant are examined through an irrigation experiment. Results indicate that although there are thermal differences between the different plant types, these differences are small when compared with non-vegetated surfaces. While the non-succulents are slightly cooler and less stress-inducing than the desert-adapted plants, their water requirements are higher, making them less efficient in terms of the ratio between cooling “benefits” and water “costs”—both of which are expressed in terms of their equivalent energy.
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Infrastructure-based heat reduction strategies can help cities adapt to high temperatures, but simulations of their cooling potential yield widely varying predictions. We systematically review 146 studies from 1987 to 2017 that conduct... more
Infrastructure-based heat reduction strategies can help cities adapt to high temperatures, but simulations of their cooling potential yield widely varying predictions. We systematically review 146 studies from 1987 to 2017 that conduct physically based numerical modelling of urban air temperature reduction resulting from green-blue infrastructure and reflective materials. Studies are grouped into two modelling scales: neighbourhood scale, building-resolving (i.e. microscale); and city scale, neighbourhood-resolving (i.e. mesoscale). Street tree cooling has primarily been assessed at the microscale, whereas mesoscale modelling has favoured reflective roof treatments, which are attributed to model physics limitations at each scale. We develop 25 criteria to assess contextualization and reliability of each study based on metadata reporting and methodological quality, respectively. Studies have shortcomings with respect to neighbourhood characterization, reporting areal coverages of hea...
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Extensive use of high-albedo materials has been advocated as a means of mitigating the urban heat island, especially in warm-climate cities. The implicit assumptions of this strategy are that by lowering canopy layer air temperature,... more
Extensive use of high-albedo materials has been advocated as a means of mitigating the urban heat island, especially in warm-climate cities. The implicit assumptions of this strategy are that by lowering canopy layer air temperature, cities will enjoy a) reduced air conditioning loads in buildings and b) improved thermal comfort for pedestrians in outdoor urban spaces. The second of these assumptions is examined here by means of computer modelling, in a two-stage approach whereby thermal comfort (represented by the Index of Thermal Stress) is modelled using as input detailed microclimate simulated by a canyon model (CAT). The analysis suggests that although use of high-albedo materials in canyon surfaces may lower air temperature, the reduction is not enough to offset increased radiant loads. As a result, pedestrian thermal comfort may in fact be compromised.
Research Interests:
This paper presents the results of a monitoring study carried out in the city of Adelaide, Australia, whose primary aim was to calibrate a model capable of predicting air temperature in an urban street canyon for extended periods in a... more
This paper presents the results of a monitoring study carried out in the city of Adelaide, Australia, whose primary aim was to calibrate a model capable of predicting air temperature in an urban street canyon for extended periods in a variety of weather conditions, on the basis of meteorological time series recorded at an open site exposed to the same meso-scale conditions (Erell and Williamson, 2006). The paper presents an analysis of variations in air temperature among the urban sites monitored, and discusses these differences in the context of established conceptual models of the urban heat island phenomenon. A complementary interpretation is proposed based on the role of the increased surface area of the active thermal mass in a typical dense urban location.
Research Interests:
... Professor Erell&amp;amp;#x27;s research has also included studies of the urban microclimate, such as an investigation ... AND THE HEAT ISLAND EFFECT The heat balance in densely built urban environments is ... for Tokyo, New York... more
... Professor Erell&amp;amp;#x27;s research has also included studies of the urban microclimate, such as an investigation ... AND THE HEAT ISLAND EFFECT The heat balance in densely built urban environments is ... for Tokyo, New York and Paris, and found a very important increasing trend (see ...
Vegetation is promoted widely all over the world as a means of creating a better quality of life in cities. Plants are credited with lowering air temperature and development of green spaces is considered one of the main strategies for... more
Vegetation is promoted widely all over the world as a means of creating a better quality of life in cities. Plants are credited with lowering air temperature and development of green spaces is considered one of the main strategies for mitigating the urban heat island. This chapter examines the mechanisms by which plants can modify the urban microclimate, with an emphasis on air temperature and outdoor thermal comfort. It outlines a scheme for classifying urban vegetation according to its location in the city and its intended role, which may be useful for planners and landscape architects. The chapter concludes with a methodology for integrating vegetation in the urban planning process to best achieve the desired microclimatic effects.
Research Interests:
Many of the existing buildings in Tel Aviv's older neighbourhoods suffer from structural weaknesses and might collapse in the event of a major earthquake, of which there is a high probability. Israel's National Guideline Plan 38... more
Many of the existing buildings in Tel Aviv's older neighbourhoods suffer from structural weaknesses and might collapse in the event of a major earthquake, of which there is a high probability. Israel's National Guideline Plan 38 (NGP 38) seeks to address this problem, facilitating the renovation of unsafe buildings by allowing construction of additional storeys to existing buildings undergoing reinforcement, thus providing a financial incentive and a suitable regulatory framework. However, the increase in urban density, although desirable from other aspects, may also be expected to exacerbate the urban heat island. The study examines the potential effects of NGP 38 on the microclimate of Tel Aviv streets, on pedestrian thermal comfort and on the thermal performance of its buildings by means of computer simulation. Results confirm that deeper streets are likely to create more intense nocturnal heat islands. However, the total number of hours in which a pedestrian is likely to...