Urban Futures Lab: Reimagining Hong Kong's Skyline with Sustainable Urban Innovation and Technology

Urban Futures Lab (Hong Kong) is a faculty-led, two-week IAP Global Classroom (January 9–23, 2027) that combines cultural immersion in one of Asia’s most dynamic cities with a hands-on academic project exploring the transformative impact of AI on sustainability in the built environment. The program is led by Prof. Siqi Zheng and James Scott of the MIT Center for Real Estate’s Asia Real Estate Initiative (AREI), with on-the-ground support from the MIT Hong Kong Innovation Node.

The shift to a low-carbon economy is the defining leadership challenge of our generation. Thoughtful planning and development of the built environment is a critical lever for achieving Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) goals across the property life cycle — essential to transitioning toward a net-zero future, reducing operational costs, and fostering social well-being. Hong Kong, with its extreme density, aging building stock, rapid technology adoption, and position as a gateway between East and West, serves as a living laboratory for these challenges. 

Over 14 days of instruction and fieldwork, students step into the role of an asset management team to evaluate ongoing market performance and determine what to build and invest next in order prepare for the city of 2035-2040. Priorities should focus on tech-enabled Experiential Office, Co-Living, Last-Mile-Delivery and Silver Economy (senior) housing, and retrofitting the city’s aging commercial footprint for AI-driven, hyper-connected, and wellness-focused omnichannel retail.

The experience blends lectures, technical workshops (ESG data integration, valuation tools, PropTech, prototyping, and pitching), expert panels with organizations such as JLL, the Hong Kong Green Building Council, the Business Environment Council, and the Urban Land Institute, and company visits with leading developers and property managers (e.g., Swire, Nan Fung, Sino Group, Hysan Development, Sun Hung Kai Properties, Link REIT). Students also spend one day in Shenzhen to see first-hand how ESG policies are implemented in a high-density, tech-driven real estate market. The program culminates in a capstone pitch of each team’s proposed solutions to a panel of industry and academic judges. Teams may access prototyping facilities at MIT Hong Kong Innovation Node to support their projects. Students earn 6 units of credit under subject 11.S967 (Special Topics).

Program Dates: January 9-23, 2027

Credit: This course is 6 units. The course number is 11.S967.

Hong Kong is one of the world’s densest and most vertical cities, a global financial hub where extreme land constraints, an aging high-rise building stock, rapid technology adoption, and ambitious sustainability regulations converge. It is an ideal living lab for studying how ESG goals are implemented in real estate. The program also includes one day in neighboring Shenzhen, in China’s Greater Bay Area, whose real estate market is defined by high-density, tech-driven demand and a policy-driven push toward green construction and urban regeneration, giving students a side-by-side view of two contrasting urban ecosystems.

Requirements:

• Open to MIT undergraduates from all departments. 
• No GPA minimum or prerequisite courses — just a strong interest in cities, sustainability/ESG, real estate, and/or AI tools. 
• Preference for students with coursework or experience in urban studies, real estate, economics/finance, data science, or sustainability.

Selection includes a short interview, and students must be able to commit to the full program dates (Jan 9–23, 2027).

Application opens: September 2, 2026

Application deadline: October 5, 2026

Apply here

Program Fee: $1500

Financial Aid:

The program fee for this Global Classroom is $1,500 per undergraduate student. Applications will be reviewed based on a need-blind admissions process. This amount will be pro-rated based on the demonstrated financial needs of each selected student. Thus, a student receiving 100% financial aid from MIT will be able to attend the Global Classroom free of cost, while someone receiving 50% financial aid will have a $750 fee. The Global Classroom will cover airfare, in-country travel, accommodation, meals, visas, and program activities. 

Graduate students are not eligible for financial aid and will pay the full $1,500 fee.

Students will stay in hotel accommodations: Eaton HK (or equivalent lodging) in Hong Kong. Undergraduate students will stay in shared rooms.

It depends on nationality. Most passports (including U.S. passports) do not require a visa for short visits to Hong Kong. However, the program includes a one-day visit to Shenzhen in mainland China, which requires a Chinese visa for most non-Chinese nationals. 

MISTI will guide selected students through the visa application process. Visa costs are covered by the program.

The program is active and involves substantial daily walking (potentially several hours per day) through dense urban neighborhoods for market study tours, as well as company visits, property tours, and visits to active construction or redevelopment sites, which may involve stairs, uneven ground, and areas without elevator access. 

Hong Kong is a hilly, high-density city; getting around involves frequent use of public transit (MTR), escalators, stairs, and crowded streets, and the climate can be humid. Travel between Hong Kong and Shenzhen involves a border crossing with queues and standing. No manual labor or fieldwork is required. 

Students with questions about accessibility are encouraged to contact the program leads (James Robert Scott— jrscott [at] mit.edu (jrscott[at]mit[dot]edu) and Nick Tsang – nictsang [at] mit.edu (nictsang[at]mit[dot]edu)) and MIT Disability and Access Services early so we can plan accommodations.