Resilient Parks and Open Spaces
Parks present an important opportunity to enhance community resilience, as well as improve the local quality of life, access to recreation, and public health. This collection showcases real estate projects that leverage parks and open space to help address the effects of climate change, from protecting against water-related events to mitigating heat island effects.
Projects that Withstood Effects of Hurricane Harvey
Hurricane Harvey dropped 27 trillion gallons of rain on the Houston metropolitan area. These real estate and land use projects stood up to the impacts of the devastating weather event and recovered quickly due to the incorporation of resilient design strategies.
ULI Case Studies
The ULI Case Studies site showcases all ULI case studies and briefs, including all the briefs found on this site. These resources feature timelines, site plans, photos, financial data, building data, developer comments, and much more from ULI-member development projects around the world, all in one searchable library. Find them at casestudies.uli.org
Harvesting the Value of Water
Stormwater, Green Infrastructure, & Real Estate
This 2017 report explores the real estate sector’s increased participation in stormwater management through the incorporation of green infrastructure. The report details how cities in the United States are dramatically revising their stormwater management regulations and requiring participation from the private sector. Many of the green infrastructure and water management briefs found on this website derived from this report.
Green Infrastructure
Green infrastructure manages water through natural processes, slowing water so it can be absorbed and filtered on site. These briefs introduce real estate projects and parks incorporating green infrastructure best practices that introduce operational efficiencies, improve the building user experience, enhance aesthetics, and generate opportunities for improved public health, among other benefits.
Buildings Prepared for Sea Level Rise
Coastal communities are already feeling the pressures of rising sea levels. This collection highlights best practices in preparing for and mitigating the impacts of rising seas. Briefs provide an overview of resilient design strategies, including elevated mechanical systems and building grades, green infrastructure, and more.
Policies Enhancing Resilience
In cities across the United States, investments in community resilience are climbing through both public sector programs and private sector involvement. This collection highlights innovative city policies that respond to climate risk and create new mechanisms for private sector participation in adaptation and mitigation.
Returns on Resilience
The Business Case
This publication showcases real estate developments that incorporate resilient design measures and provide positive financial, operational, and other business outcomes. This report includes briefs explaining the motivations of developers and property owners to protect buildings and sites against climate-related threats, their resilience strategies, their design and development processes, and the performance of their projects.
10 Principles for Building Resilience
This publication summarizes key themes posed by ULI’s national resilience work since Hurricane Sandy. The report considers the economic, environmental, and social factors that contribute to resilience and how the concept of resilience translates to the private sector, municipal decision makers, and communities.
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Penn Park

Penn Park

Park, Bioretention swales, Green infrastructure & landscape features, Monitoring systems, Native plants & trees, Rain gardens, Rainwater cistern, Reuse systems
Washington, D.C.

The Avenue

The Avenue

Mixed use, Filtration systems, Green infrastructure & landscape features, Green roofs, Rainwater cistern, Retention pond or ice rink, Reuse systems
San Francisco, California

Building Occupancy Resumption Program

Building Occupancy Resumption Program
Portland, Oregon

Meier & Frank Delivery Depot

Meier & Frank Delivery Depot

Commercial & office, Bioretention swales, Efficient fixtures or irrigation, Filtration systems, Green infrastructure & landscape features, Green roofs, Monitoring systems, Rainwater cistern, Reuse systems
San Antonio, Texas

The Residences at La Cantera

The Residences at La Cantera

Master planned community, Efficient fixtures or irrigation, Monitoring systems, Native plants & trees, Rainwater cistern, Water harvesting & recycling
Boston, Massachusetts

The Eddy

The Eddy

Mixed use, Elevated mechanicals, Grade elevation & access, Native plants & trees
Virginia Beach, Virginia

Brock Environmental Center

Brock Environmental Center

Community facility, Grade elevation & access, Impact-resistant & hardened materials, Renewable & distributed energy, Water harvesting & recycling
Boston, Massachusetts

Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital

Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital

Medical institution, Bioretention swales, Elevated mechanicals, Grade elevation & access, Green infrastructure & landscape features, Green roofs, Natural drainage system, Renewable & distributed energy
Caldwell, Idaho

Indian Creek Daylighting

Indian Creek Daylighting

Park, Bioretention swales, Green infrastructure & landscape features, Native plants & trees, Natural drainage system, Permeable pavers
Miami, Florida

1450 Brickell

1450 Brickell

Mixed use, Grade elevation & access, Impact-resistant & hardened materials
Houston, Texas

Buffalo Bayou Park

Buffalo Bayou Park

Park, Detention basin, Green infrastructure & landscape features, Native plants & trees, Natural drainage system, Retention pond or ice rink
Bridgeland, Texas

Bridgeland

Bridgeland

Master planned community, Native plants & trees, Natural drainage system, Retention pond or ice rink, Reuse systems, Water harvesting & recycling
Seattle, Washington

Seattle Green Factor

Seattle Green Factor
Tampa, Florida

Encore!

Encore!

Master planned community, Filtration systems, Green infrastructure & landscape features, Native plants & trees, Permeable pavers, Reuse systems, Stormwater vault
Nashville, Tennessee

Gaylord Opryland / Grand Ole Opry

Gaylord Opryland / Grand Ole Opry

Resort, Flood walls
Missouri City, Texas

Park 8Ninety

Park 8Ninety

Commercial & office, Detention basin, Grade elevation & access, Green infrastructure & landscape features
Tucson, Arizona

ENR2

ENR2

Academic, Backup power, Elevated mechanicals, Green infrastructure & landscape features, Renewable & distributed energy, Water harvesting & recycling
Washington, D.C.

Stormwater Retention Credit Trading Program

Learn more
San Francisco, California

181 Fremont

181 Fremont

Mixed use, Seismic resistance
image
Queens, New York

Arverne by the Sea

Arverne by the Sea

Master planned community, Mixed use, Transit-oriented development, Grade elevation & access, Green infrastructure & landscape features, Impact-resistant & hardened materials
Harris County, Texas

Stonebrook Estates

Stonebrook Estates

Master planned community, Bioretention swales, Detention basin, Filtration systems, Green infrastructure & landscape features, Natural drainage system
Minneapolis, Minnesota

The Rose

The Rose

Residential, Efficient fixtures or irrigation, Filtration systems, Green infrastructure & landscape features, Native plants & trees, Rain gardens, Rainwater cistern, Reuse systems, Stormwater vault
Alabama

FORTIFIED Home Building Standards

FORTIFIED Home Building Standards
Detroit, Michigan

Coleman A. Young Municipal Center

Coleman A. Young Municipal Center

Community facility, Green infrastructure & landscape features, Green roofs
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Green City, Clean Waters

Green City, Clean Waters
Raleigh, North Carolina

Market at Colonnade

Market at Colonnade

Commercial & office, Bioretention swales, Detention basin, Efficient fixtures or irrigation, Filtration systems, Green infrastructure & landscape features, Monitoring systems, Rainwater cistern, Reuse systems
Washington, District of Columbia

Canal Park

Canal Park

Park, Bioretention swales, Filtration systems, Green infrastructure & landscape features, Green roofs, Rain gardens, Rainwater cistern, Retention pond or ice rink, Reuse systems, Tree boxes
Lancaster, California

KB Homes Double ZeroHouse

KB Homes Double ZeroHouse

Residential, Native plants & trees, Renewable & distributed energy, Water harvesting & recycling
Burbank, California

Burbank Water and Power EcoCampus

Burbank Water and Power EcoCampus

Community facility, Detention basin, Filtration systems, Green infrastructure & landscape features, Green roofs, Native plants & trees, Permeable pavers, Reuse systems, Tree boxes
Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands

Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman

Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman

Resort, Native plants & trees, Renewable & distributed energy
Boise, Idaho

Central Addition LIV District

Central Addition LIV District

District, Green infrastructure & landscape features, Permeable pavers, Renewable & distributed energy, Tree boxes
Seattle, Washington

High Point

High Point

Residential, Bioretention swales, Green infrastructure & landscape features, Native plants & trees, Natural drainage system, Permeable pavers, Rain gardens, Retention pond or ice rink
Boston, Massachusetts

Atlantic Wharf

Atlantic Wharf

Mixed use, Efficient fixtures or irrigation, Filtration systems, Green infrastructure & landscape features, Green roofs, Native plants & trees, Rainwater cistern, Reuse systems
South Florida

South Florida Resort

South Florida Resort

Resort, Elevated mechanicals, Impact-resistant & hardened materials, Renewable & distributed energy, Water harvesting & recycling

Submit your project or resource

Nominate resilient projects, policies or resources to be included in the Developing Urban Resilience brief library. ULI welcomes new submissions and will provide some support with research and writing.

Acknowledgments

The Urban Land Institute’s Urban Resilience program is grateful to The JPB Foundation, which supported this project, as well to other funders who supported much of the research on the site, such as The Kresge Foundation, the New York Community Trust, and the ULI Foundation. The Urban Resilience program would also like to thank the vast ULI network, including the many members, district councils, and product councils that have generously contributed their time and expertise to the briefs included on this site through interviews, research, and project nominations. In particular, the Responsible Property Investment Council initiated this website through the Returns on Resilience report in 2015, and district councils—including ULI Michigan, ULI Idaho, and ULI Houston—nominated projects from their regions to be included in this site launch. Thank you to all who have been and continue to be involved in creating content for “Developing Urban Resilience.”