The Urban Land Institute and the Greenprint Foundation have joined forces to create the ULI Greenprint Center for Building Performance. This dedicated research center will draw on the momentum and resources of the Urban Land Institute and the Greenprint Foundation to accelerate measurement of energy and carbon emission performance of existing buildings. Please visit www.greenprintfoundation.org for information regarding Greenprint, its member organizations and the Greenprint Performance Report™.

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The Urban Land Institute and the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany invite you to an interactive dialogue exploring next-generation urban sustainability initiatives. Public officials from the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg will present urban sustainability initiatives highlighted as part of the city’s designation as the European Green Capital 2011. Public officials representing Baltimore, Boston and Washington, DC will respond by placing Hamburg’s strategies into the context of U.S. cities. Read more.

A growing number of building owners and managers around the world are combating rising energy prices by investing in energy efficiency in buildings. Findings show key trends:

• Owners are motivated by cost savings above all other factors, but government incentives and enhanced public image are also playing a key role in determining investments;
• The trend towards ‘certifying’ individual buildings is rapidly expanding beyond new construction to include existing assets; 
• Owners in North American markets expect lighting and smart building technology to play a major role in short-term energy management strategies.
• Structural barriers in real estate markets are limiting the amount of capital investment being made to make buildings more energy efficient.

Read the Executive Summary of 2011 Global Energy Efficiency Survey Results.

Climate Change, Land Use, and Energy 2010: New Tools. New Rules.

This report explores an issue that has risen to become one of the most immediate challenges for sustainable development: investing in energy efficiency improvements in existing real estate. New regulations and finance tools are emerging which seek to capture value associated with energy efficiency in commercial buildings. This report includes stories from the “retrofitting” trenches, prevailing attitudes, and case studies that provide a benchmark for how energy efficiency is valued in real estate transactions today. Emerging energy and climate change policies are identified at all levels of government which taken together are forming a new backdrop for real estate investment. Read the press release.

Land Use and Driving: The Role Compact Development Can Play in Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions
When people have the opportunity to work, play, and shop closer to their homes, the amount of driving they do lessens. This translates into reductions in greenhouse gas emissions. This report highlights the findings of three recent studies which document and attempt to quantify the effectiveness of compact development as a tool to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

SB 375 Impact Analysis Report
Cities in California could be more sustainable–both economically and environmentally–if the state wisely implements SB 375, a law designed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and auto dependency. This was among the findings in the SB 375 Impact Analysis Report (PDF), published June 2010 by ULI.

Climate Change, Land Use, and Energy (CLUE) 2009
Investment Niche or Necessity? concentrates on the real estate investment community’s outlook, preferences, and business practices associated with climate change, land use, and energy. This publication has been researched through a ULI member survey, a dedicated ULI conference, and a review of the existing literature.

Retrofitting Office Buildings to Be Green & Energy Efficient
This book presents the compelling business case for green and energy-efficient retrofits by detailing the specific decision points and technologies from planning to investing to operations. It also highlights innovative trends and practices from around the world, including certification programs and a discussion of public policy as it relates to green and energy-efficient office retrofits.

The Green Quotient: Insights from Leading Experts on Sustainability
This book was adapted from the Green Quotient column that author Charles Lockwood has written for Urban Land magazine since June 2006. Presenting 27 full-length, in-depth conversations with sustainability experts from around the world, it offers a fresh perspective on a wide variety of green issues and how they relate to the real estate industry today.

The City in 2050: Creating Blueprints for Change
This book explores the changes facing metropolitan areas, illustrated through interesting facts and charts on topics such as the impact of capital markets, climate change, sustainability, transportation and infrastructure needs, demographic trends, housing, retail, and technology.