Urban Land Institute (ULI) Center for Sustainability and Economic Performance Launches Resilient Design Website

The Urban Land Institute, known as ULI, announced that its Center for Sustainability and Economic Performance has launched Developing Urban Resilience. It’s a free, easy-to-use website for members and the public to use resources about real estate development projects.

These ULI projects showcase best practices in resilient design. In addition, ULI is a global, multidisciplinary real estate organization. It’s work, driven by 42,000-plus members. All therefore dedicated to responsible land use. Also and more important building thriving, sustainable communities.

However, Most importantly here folks!! Devastating storms such as Hurricane Florence and Typhoon Mangkhut are elevating the urgency to find ways to make the built environment more resilient. That’s in the face of climate change and other environmental vulnerabilities. The Urban Land institute has a Developing Urban Resilience portal. It has a growing library of project briefs that highlight best practices. Those in adapting to changing climate conditions and creating opportunities to do economic, environmental, and social co-benefits. Examples are such as:

•Buffalo Bayou Park in Houston, Texas. It’s designed to submerge during flood events. It’s also proved its effectiveness during Hurricane Harvey. It hosted visitors just days later;

•181 Fremont in San Francisco, California. It’s a 57-story mixed-use skyscraper. for earthquake preparedness. That’s through the REDi standard;

•1450 Brickell in Miami, Florida is a 35-story Class A office tower built with impact-resistant and hardened materials. That’s to withstand flying debris and winds up to 300 miles per hour;

•Brock Environmental Center in Virginia Beach, Virginia which is now Elevated 14 feet above sea level. It’s also capped with a curved roof. So the structure is designed to withstand the threats of storm surge floodingand high winds; and

•ENR2 in Tuscon, Arizona, which uses active chilled beams, innovative shading techniques, and native plants to mitigate the effects of sweltering heat produce energy costs savings.

Each of these projects with ULI demonstrates a unique approach to resilience.

This website continues ULI and it’s longstanding work in resilience issues. In addition and most importantly a part of the Institute’s ongoing effort to aid communities globally. That’s with enhancing resilience through land use, development and design strategies. Over the past several years, ULI has helped more than 15 communities across the U.S.  They have develop resilience strategies in the face of increasing climate-related disasters. That’s through programs such as advisory service panels, which draw upon the knowledge and ability of its diverse membership to offer solutions to urban challenges.

Source: ULI’s Urban Resilience Program, WASHINGTON (September 20, 2018)