Developers who invest in structures that can adapt to the increasing likelihood of flooding, droughts and other environmental risks create greater value for themselves and their stakeholders, a study by the nonprofit Urban Land Institute found.
Benefits include the ability to quickly recover and maintain business functions after a flooding event, attract investors and reduce insurance costs.
“There is a compelling business case for adaptation,” said Lindsay Brugger, ULI’s vice president of urban resilience.
Community projects, such as seawall construction or beach nourishment, pay off 2-to-1 and building-level adaptations, such as flood proofing structures, are worth $4 for every $1 spent, she said. The value of resilient development practices also may be found in the ability for communities to enhance property values and for developers to market sustainability as an amenity for tenants.
Brugger spoke as part of a panel discussion at the ULI’s 2025 Florida Summit meeting at the Hyatt Regency Coconut Point Resort and Spa in Bonita Springs. The event June 9 and 10 brought together a broad cross-section of real estate industry professionals, from luxury condo developers to affordable housing advocates.
With recent hurricanes, including 2022’s Ian and last year’s Helene and Milton, sustainable building practices was among the hot topics that speakers considered in a spacious ballroom where attendees sat at blue-clothed tables, one speaker remarked, like heads bobbing in a sea.
ULI’s analysis included major costs that a developer could sustain during a storm, such as downtime for workers during a construction project. Developers for the Naples Beach Club, for example, protected the project from hurricanes by building an earthen berm from fill dirt that prevented major damage and allowed work to resume within 36 hours after a storm.
Insurance companies also are looking closely at how developers create storm-resilient structures. A study by insurance giant Allstate and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce showed that $1 spent on climate resilience and preparedness saves communities $13 in damages, cleanup costs and economic impact.
ULI holds up Babcock Ranch, the master-planned town in Charlotte County, as an example of climate-resilient construction. In addition to its famed solar capabilities, the town’s prioritization of hardened structures helped it survive Ian’s 140 mph winds “virtually unscathed,” a ULI report reads. It also sits about 30 feet above sea level and utilizes wetlands to provide natural stormwater management.
Sunseeker Resort on Charlotte Harbor is another example of resilient construction. Developers included heat island mitigation, a 2,300-foot seawall to prevent erosion and reduce flooding, underground chambers to collect and filter stormwater and modernized lift stations to reduce the possibility of contamination during storms.
Brugger said that “a strong coalition of developers who understand resilience” is needed to adapt to the greater frequency of storms in Florida. Other measures might include rainwater harvesting systems on commercial campuses to collect run-off for purposes, such as irrigation and local parks that serve as “resiliency hubs” after storms.
“Don’t do the very minimum,” said ULI panelist Peter Moore, president of the Florida engineering firm Chen Moore and Associates, to developers in the ballroom. “Think about the life of your project.”
