www.buildingsandcities.org/about/raymond-cole.html

Dr Raymond J. Cole

Dr Raymond J. Cole

Although Dr Raymond J. Cole's education is in engineering and science, he has spent the majority of his career in the field of architectural research and education.

He is an Emeritus Professor and past-Director of the School of Architecture and Landscape Architecture at the University of British Columbia and past Academic Director of UBC¹s Centre for Interactive Research on Sustainability.

Dr Cole holds the designation of North American Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture Distinguished Professor and UBC Distinguished University Scholar.

Latest Commentaries

A session from a participatory drawing workshop at the Rumi Library, led by Sadia Sharmin in 2019

While Living Labs are often framed as structured, institutionalised spaces for innovation, Sadia Sharmin (Habitat Forum Berlin) reinterprets the concept through the lens of grassroots urban practices. She argues that self-organised knowledge spaces can function as Living Labs by fostering situated learning, collective agency, and community resilience. The example of a Living Lab in Bangladesh provides a model pathway to civic participation and spatial justice.

Climate Mitigation & Carbon Budgets: Research Challenges

Thomas Lützkendorf (Karlsruhe Institute of Technology) explains how the research community has helped to change the climate change policy landscape for the construction and real estate sectors, particularly for mitigating GHG emissions. Evidence can be used to influence policy pathways and carbon budgets, and to develop detailed carbon strategies and implementation. A key challenge is to create a stronger connection between the requirements for individual buildings and the national reduction pathways for the built environment.