Shaping Sustainable Futures: A Teaching Philosophy of Ecological Design and its Implementation Across Cities and Cultures

You are cordially invited to the research seminar by Ernesto Valero Thomas:

Date: 10 Oct 2025
Time: 3:00 PM – 4:00 PM
Venue: SDE3 Level 4, LT421

Shaping Sustainable Futures: A Teaching Philosophy of Ecological Design and its Implementation Across Cities and Cultures

Abstract:
Drawing from the academic and professional work of Dr Ernesto Valero Thomas in China, Mexico, the United Kingdom, and the United States, the talk focuses on sustainable design methodologies and projects that move from isolated, single-problem solutions to a multidisciplinary approach.

The seminar explores a range of outcomes, including international publications, transformative environmental policies, and architectural interventions. The outcomes presented are grounded in collaborative ecological visions from individuals and institutions, demonstrating the power of collective and strategic actions to reduce our carbon footprint in cities worldwide.

Dr Ernesto Valero Thomas is a professional in Sustainable Architecture and Urban Studies. As a Visiting Fellow in 2025 at the Edinburgh Futures Institute from the University of Edinburgh, he conducts research on the topic of Climate Emergency in the Global South, with special attention on mapping cities through infrastructure policies. Ernesto has previously held academic positions at the Shanghai Institute of Visual Arts in China and at the National Autonomous University of Mexico. His work has been published in peer-reviewed journals from the United States (UCLA), Mexico (UNAM), the United Kingdom (Bristol University) and in the book Drawdown: The Most Comprehensive Plan Ever Proposed to Reverse Global Warming (Penguin Random House). His research findings have been presented at conferences in Germany, The Netherlands, France, Chile, India, South Korea, and China.

Ernesto holds a PhD in Architecture and Urban Design from the University of Edinburgh (2016). He also received an MSc in Advanced Sustainable Design from the University of Edinburgh (2010) and a BArch from the National Autonomous University of Mexico (2008). Ernesto served as President of the Mexican Society at the University of Edinburgh from 2012 to 2013.