RESEARCH
Prof. Pomeroy is an advocate for an evidence-based approach to design that has its roots in rigorous academic research. An underlying belief that the design profession can no longer rely on subjective intuition but should apply more objective measures to enhance the performance of the built environment, has led to research that straddle the urbanism, architecture and the landscape disciplines.
A Vertical Urban Theory
Pomeroy has researched the spatial, social, economic, environmental, cultural and technological attributes of sky-rise social spaces, and is one of the world’s leading authorities on skycourts and skygardens. His research at the University of Cambridge culminated in a thesis titled, ‘The Skycourt: an alternative social space for the 21st century’, and subsequently paved the way for further independent, commercial and government backed research.
After 10 years, his academic papers were collated and further expanded upon with new findings in his book, ‘The Skycourt and Skygarden: Greening the Urban Habitat (2014)’. In 2016 he received his PhD at Westminster University for his applied research in the field.
Towards Zero Energy Development
Pomeroy is one of the leading authorities on zero energy development in Asia. The ‘Idea House’ was Asia’s first zero carbon prototype residence, and the subject of his book, ‘Idea House: Future Tropical Living Today’, (2011). Its passive design inspiration drew elements from the Malay Kampong tradition. Deep overhanging roofs, extended terraces and raised platforms optimised natural light and ventilation, whilst solar cells generated enough energy to off-set the occupants energy consumption.
B House, is Singapore’s pioneering operational carbon negative landed property and the recipient of a Green Mark Platinum Award. The B House incorporates some of the innovations from the Idea House, whilst drawing inspiration from the old colonial black and white bungalows that were built extensively in Singapore during the 19th centuries. Such ideas are scalable, allowing Pomeroy to conceive zero energy developments from the micro-scale of dwellings to the macro-scale of towns and cities.
Greening the Urban Habitat
Pomeroy continues to be fascinated by the bio-climatic and environmental properties that greenery brings to the urban habitat, and is a vein of research for which he continues to be actively involved. The increasing densification of the urban environment often comes at the expense of urban vegetation, which is rapidly being depleted. This can lead to increased average temperatures and the ‘heat island effect’ of cities.
His research continues to look at alternative means to green the urban habitat by exploring diagonal and vertical planted planes in addition to the horizontal plane of the ground, podium or rooftop. This is coupled with a more quantifiable means of measuring urban greenery using the green plot ratio. Such research has gained support at government level and has been adopted in part as landscape guidelines within Asian planning legislation.