Jesse M. Keenan is a faculty member at Harvard University Graduate School of Design, where he serves as area head and director of real estate and the built environment. Keenan’s principle research focus is on climate change and the built environment, including aspects of design, engineering, and financing. Keenan has previously advised on matters concerning the built environment for agencies of the U.S. Government, Fortune 500 Companies, community enterprises, and international NGOs. In conjunction with the federal government, Keenan serves as chair of the U.S. Community Resilience Panel for Buildings and Infrastructure Systems, review editor of the Built Environment and Transportation chapters of the 4th National Climate Assessment, and editorial co-lead for the Built Environment at the U.S. Climate Resilience Toolkit at climate.gov. Keenan’s research in the built environment has partnered with a variety of global actors, including the American Institute of Architects, Audi, Carnegie Corporation, Goldman Sachs, Google, Hulic Co., Ltd., ICC, MoMA, Mori Foundation, Lennar Foundation, NASA, Open Society Foundation, Regional Plan Association, Rockefeller Foundation, the State of California, and the U.N. Keenan is the author of NYC 2040: Housing the Next One Million New Yorkers and co-editor of Blue Dunes: Climate Change by Design and Climate Change Adaptation in North America: Experiences, Case Studies and Best Practices. Keenan holds degrees in the law (J.D., LL.M.) and science of the built environment (M.Sc.), including a Ph.D. in applied climate science and the built environment from Delft University of Technology.
