Interview Q&A: Phil Allsopp on Climate Education, Urban Development, and Institutional Leadership
Q: Can you explain your role with the United Nations and how your work addresses climate change in urban environments?
A: I serve as part of a global advisory group of about 27 experts working with the United Nations to evaluate how digital technologies can help make cities safer, healthier, and more engaging for residents. Our approach is not simply to introduce more technology for its own sake, but to carefully assess which innovations genuinely enhance quality of life and community well-being. We’re particularly focused on ensuring that technology empowers people, rather than isolating them or adding unnecessary complexity.
Our group brings together diverse perspectives from around the world—including work being done with UNICEF in China on rural-urban transitions—to understand how infrastructure and technology can support economic, social, and environmental goals. A key insight is that built environments play a critical but often underappreciated role in shaping outcomes for communities. Our ongoing discussions and research aim to develop recommendations that help cities foster innovation, participation, and stewardship, especially for the next generation of leaders and citizens.
Q: How can College or School facility managers and executives leverage technology for climate action without overwhelming staff or students?
A: Technology should simplify—not complicate—operations. For example, smart irrigation systems that water only when needed can reduce waste and costs. The key is to adopt technologies that genuinely support healthier, more sustainable environments, rather than adding layers of complexity. Engaging multidisciplinary teams ensures that technology investments align with institutional goals and community needs.
Q: How are UK schools and universities integrating climate action, and what can Canadian institutions learn?
A: UK schools embed environmental education throughout K-12, and universities actively partner with schools to foster climate literacy and action. Regulatory frameworks, such as requiring biodiversity net gain for new developments, ensure that sustainability is a core consideration. Canadian institutions can adopt similar approaches, emphasizing cross-sector collaboration, evidence-based planning, and the adaptation of proven international tools and standards.
My window into what's going on in the United Kingdom is that I was asked by the board of the Royal Institute of British Architects to join the RIBA board as a Trustee last September. I started off my career as an architect managing to survive the 7 year marathon of becoming one. As I was more interested in how and why things worked and how changes to what turned out to be complex systems, could make outcomes better. This eventually took me into the public health field and system dynamics which is underpinned by systems thinking. So kind of squaring the circle, during my career in the health care and health insurance fields I saw mountains of health care, social, demographic and economic data that pointed directly to built infrastructure as playing a pivotal role in human health and wellbeing. More recent research – mine and others from several fields, show that the way we plan, locate, design, configure and build environments for sheltering and enabling a dizzying array of human endeavors plays a quantifiably outsized role in local, national, and regional prosperity, well-being in all of its dimensions, and also climate resiliency. Doing more of the same in the hope that throwing more money at “business as usual” approaches to this will not improve things at all – it will likely make them much worse. Connecting back to that original career path of mine means that I can bring perhaps a new set of perspectives to the RIBA’s board and it is personally very exciting being part of he RIBA’s global endeavors.
Q: Are there examples in the UK where climate education initiatives go beyond the classroom, integrating student learning with real-world sustainability practices? Do you see parallels with what you’re proposing at Mohawk, or is that still aspirational?
A: Not at all aspirational—these connections are already forming. In the UK, universities increasingly recognize their role in reaching beyond their own students to engage schools and younger learners in climate awareness and action. For example, the UK has implemented a “biodiversity net gain” policy: any new development on greenfield sites must not only protect but measurably increase biodiversity, or it won’t receive planning approval. This requirement is driving evidence-based planning and fostering a culture where students, educators, and professionals collaborate on real sustainability challenges.
The tools and frameworks developed for these policies—like biodiversity toolkits and carbon net zero handbooks—are being adapted for use in secondary and even primary education. This means students are learning about climate action through hands-on, practical projects that mirror the work being done by professionals. It’s a model that encourages international collaboration and can be replicated in Canada and elsewhere.
Q: What are the main barriers to implementing similar climate education and sustainability initiatives in Canada, and how can they be overcome?
A: A key barrier is the tendency to view education—and the infrastructure and technology that support it—as a cost rather than a long-term investment. When education is treated as an investment in national prosperity, well-being, and climate resilience, the return is substantial. For example, research from the UK shows that treating housing and education as costs to be minimized to significant financial burdens over time—through lower productivity, poorer health, and higher social costs. By shifting the mindset from short-term expense to long-term value, Canadian institutions and governments can unlock the resources and partnerships needed to embed climate education into both curriculum and campus operations.
This version emphasizes the integration of climate education with practical, real-world action, and highlights the importance of strategic investment and cross-sector collaboration.
Q: What is the vision behind the digital observatory at Mohawk’s School of Climate Action, and how can it serve educational institutions and municipalities?
A: The digital observatory is designed as an intelligence hub, regularly supplying actionable data to both the School of Climate Action and local governments. Its purpose is to help decision-makers—whether in education or city management—understand the ripple effects of infrastructure changes, such as highway expansions, on noise, pollution, and community health. The observatory leverages a blend of digital tools and expert analysis, enabling informed, evidence-based decisions that support climate resilience and urban well-being. This model can be replicated across Canada, allowing institutions to tailor solutions to their unique local “DNA”.
Q: What role do students play in driving climate solutions at the institutional level?
A: Students are powerful agents of change. Programs that encourage student-led problem solving—such as experiential learning projects and partnerships with local governments—can yield innovative solutions and foster a sense of agency. Institutions should empower students to participate in shaping both campus operations and broader community initiatives.
Q: What future trends should senior executives and facility managers anticipate at the intersection of education, urban development, and climate action?
A: The future lies in integrated, interdisciplinary approaches. Leaders should expect increasing demand for data-driven decision-making, cross-sector partnerships, and the adaptation of best practices from around the world. There will also be a growing emphasis on learning from both historical and contemporary models to create resilient, sustainable environments for learning and living.
Q: What are the most significant barriers to advancing climate initiatives in educational settings, and how can leaders overcome them?
A: A major barrier is the perception of education and facility upgrades as costs rather than investments. Leaders should reframe these expenditures as essential investments as engines for long-term prosperity, health, and climate resilience. Evidence from the UK shows that treating education and infrastructure as investments yields substantial returns, including reduced long-term costs and improved outcomes for students and communities.
Philip D. Allsopp, D.Arch., M.S.(Public Health), RIBA, CSBA, is the CEO of ORBIS Dynamics, a firm dedicated to bringing 3D visualization, analytics, and simulation to urban professionals and policymakers globally. His professional and research focus is on applying complex and adaptive systems to improve the spatial DNA of cities, addressing ecological, social, and economic crises stemming from urban growth and climate challenges.
Phil holds multiple academic and leadership roles. He is an Adjunct Professor with Mohawk College’s School of Climate Action and a Senior Global Futures Scientist and Adjunct Professor at Arizona State University’s Global Futures Laboratory and School of Sustainability. As a Trustee on the Board of Britain’s Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA), he represents The Americas region and Co-Chairs the RIBA’s Expert Advisory Group on AI, Generative Design and Data. Phil is also involved with a United Nation’s team examining emerging digital technologies for creating more livable, sustainable, and healthy urban regions.
Known for his advocacy of "architecture as a public health endeavor," Phil has been a keynote speaker on healthy cities, smart cities, and the use of parametric computational design. His extensive career spans government service, 3D software applications (BIM + GIS), architecture, public health, and management consulting. Prior leadership roles include positions at Electronic Data Systems, A.T. Kearney, Perkins & Will, and as CEO of the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation.
Academically, Phil holds a Doctor of Architecture (D.Arch.) from Kingston University, UK, and a Master of Science (M.S.) in Public Health from Columbia University, New York. He is a former United States Public Health Service Fellow and a Chartered Member of Britain’s Royal Institute of British Architects