The recent US-Asia Sustainable Development Summit, held at Harvard University on April 13, 2024, served as a pivotal platform for discussions on sustainable urban development, fostering connections among industry, academia, and policy-making for a sustainable future in the US and Asia.
MIT Center for Real Estate (CRE) made a significant contribution to the event. Steve Weikal of CRE, participated in the panel titled “Green Technologies and Industrial Development,” moderated by Elence Chen from Harvard Graduate School of Design. Together with panelists Mitchell Presnick, Prof. Yi Zheng, and Jing Li, they explored innovative approaches to sustainable industrial development and advancements in combating climate change, focusing on battery technology, energy storage solutions, green transportation, and photovoltaic technology.
The discussion emphasized the role of green technologies in shaping industrial practices and promoting the transition to a low-carbon economy through renewable energy and sustainable urban planning. The key to accelerating global sustainable development goals lies in technological innovation and the widespread deployment of these innovative technologies.
Another highlight of the summit was the “Green Cities and Buildings” panel, featuring esteemed speakers: Siqi Zheng from CRE, Jonathan Buonocore from Boston University School of Public Health, and Holly Samuelson from Harvard Graduate School of Design. This panel flagged the critical need to integrate green design principles and urban planning for sustainable urban environments, focusing on strategies to create resilient, livable, and carbon-neutral urban spaces.
Both panels, where CRE faculty and researchers contributed, reflect MIT and Harvard’s joint commitment to promoting comprehensive and actionable solutions for re-envisioning cities, highlighting the collaborative efforts required to achieve sustainable urban development.
Want the most in-depth look at sustainable development and how to transition our infrastructure? Join CRE on June 17+18 at the MIT Media Lab for an incredible conference.
