Cole received his undergraduate degree in civil engineering from City University, London, and a PhD in architectural science from the University of Wales.

He has been an architecture professor with UBC since 1977, where his research, teaching and professional activities have focused on environmental responsibility and sustainability in architecture. Cole heads the Environmental Research Group in SALA and is an internationally respected consultant.

Cole has furthering the theory and practice of building environmental assessment and was instrumental in the adaptation of the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) rating system in Canada, the creation of the Residential Environmental Assessment Program at UBC, and the Green Building Challenge, an initiative to assess the progress in green building practices worldwide.