From Concrete to Canopy: Mapping Human Comfort in Desert Cities

Merav Battat, Director of the Negev Urban Research Lab (NUR) , discusses the unique challenge of desert urbanism and mitigating extreme heat in cities like Beersheba. She reveals how the lab is using 3D scanning and digital twinning to create urban platforms that test scenarios—like turning a boulevard into a forest—to help decision-makers design more resilient streets and improve human comfort. Tune in to hear how this unique MIT-affiliated lab is adapting cities for climate change. Interviewer: Boaz Ukelson Edits: Dr. Buzi Raviv BGU Radio is an educational program and it is part of BGU's entrepreneurship center Yazamut360.