John Fernández

Professor of Architecture + Urbanism and Building Technology at MIT

From 2015-2024, he was director of MIT’s largest environmental research program, the Environmental Solutions Initiative (ESI) and he now directs its successor – MIT Environmental Research + Action (ERA). As director of the ESI, he oversaw diverse research efforts including mining and a circular economy, cities and climate change, natural climate solutions, climate justice and more. From 2011-2015, Fernández was co-director of the MIT International Design Center in collaboration with the Singapore University of Technology and Design. In his 26 years on the MIT faculty Fernández has led two research groups, the Emergent Materials Group and the Urban Metabolism Group. Fernández regularly advises companies across diverse sectors and governments at every level from city agencies to national ministries. He has served on several boards and has advised numerous organizations including the World Economic Forum on Biodiverse Cities by 2030, Center for Sustainability of the Fraunhofer Institute, Ocean Visions, Earth Percent, US Environmental Protection Agency, the Department of Commerce, the State Department, the Department of Energy Advanced Research Projects Agency, UN Environment Program, UN Habitat, the US Green Building Council and more. He is a practicing architect and advises on sustainable building design and construction – the latest, the world’s largest Passive House commercial office building located in downtown Boston.