Faculty Friday – Peter Fox Penner

Each week, Faculty Friday will highlight a member of our IOC Faculty Advisory Board by exploring their work at Boston University and their thoughts on cities.

This week, we’re speaking with Peter Fox-Penner. Peter serves as the first Director of the Institute for Sustainable Energy and is a Professor of the Practice at the Boston University Questrom School of Business.

IOC: What research or project are you currently working on?

Peter Fox-Penner (PFP): We have five or six projects in the works at the Institute, some focused on urban areas and some global. A good urban project is our creation of a regional center of excellence on urban climate mitigation policy modeling.

What’s your favorite thing about Boston University?

PFP: Vegan kitchen in the university’s Yawkey Center dining hall.

What is your favorite city, and why?

PFP: London, at least prior to the Brexit vote. Compact, good transport, great history, beautiful built environment, strong climate commitment, enormous peaceful diversity, better social safety net than the U.S.

What do you think is the biggest challenge facing cities today? 

PFP: Economic mobility, affordable housing/homelessness, and education.

What do you think our cities of the future will look like?

PFP: Tokyo? Masdar? At least I hope…

If you were Mayor of Boston for a day and had unlimited resources, what program or project would you pursue and why? 

PFP: Multiply funding for education, health care, and affordable housing. Along with those, create high standards for accountability and comprehensive services delivery that is not stovepiped.

Are there any urban-related issues that you want to see students and young people get more involved in?

PFP: Yes: economic mobility, affordable housing, sustainability in urban environments (including food, energy and waste), and education!

Want to learn more about what Peter and his team are up to? Visit the Institute for Sustainable Energy website here and follow them on Twitter @ISE_BU. We are also proud to be co-hosting an upcoming talk, “Urban Innovation: Exploring the Future of Buildings” on Tuesday November 29th at 6pm. Register now!