Friday, March 25, 2011
11:00am - 12:00pm EST

Professor John Macomber

Creating Value in Sustainable Cities

Click here to register!!!

With the world’s population projected to double over the next 25 years, urban centers will increasingly be challenged to effectively and sustainably manage all facets of growth.   This interesting and important topic is the focus of our next Virtual Learning Series Call with HBS faculty member, John Macomber.  After many successful years in the real estate business, John now leads HBS efforts to address two core global problems resulting from this trend: rapid urbanization (with its social, political and financial dimensions); and sustainability (e.g., how businesses can extend resources, make a profit, and slow environmental decline).  The discussion is equally relevant to alumni who live or work in global urban centers of all sizes, locations and age-- as well as to those who may not be located near an urban setting at all.  Don’t miss this fascinating conversation!

John will provide highlights of and take questions on his new interdisciplinary work, research and teaching on issues impacting the environment, energy, natural resources and infrastructure.  He will also share his thoughts on the different trends affecting new vs. older urban centers and discuss emerging business entrepreneurial areas of opportunity.   As energy, clean air/water and government capital will become scarcer, he sees these problems inviting four categories of responses:  1) Government-created policy around supply-side technologies (notably, renewable energy policy); 2) Private sector investment in emerging supply-side technologies; 3) Government-promoted policies mitigating demand, such as strict fuel-efficiency standards or a carbon tax; and 4) Private sector promotion of demand mitigation and resource efficiency initiatives. 

John contends that it is the last category where the real leverage exists, particularly as tens of thousands of new cities and their core infrastructure are being designed, financed, and built right now, with good solutions capable of being shared optimally in an urban environment and scaled up.   John teaches an MBA course currently called “Sustainable Cities” in which students are taught how developing and combining skills in urban planning, energy management, public-private partnerships, and resource efficiency can be instrumental to achieving private sector sustainability while meeting the basic needs of growing urban populations.  He is currently developing a new Executive Education course designed for senior executives that will be launched later in 2011.  

Additional information on John’s research and professional background: http://bit.ly/hvHuy3