Much of the Institute’s program of work cuts across these areas:

01 Housing and Communities

This pillar is firmly grounded in the founding of the organization in 1936. References to housing products and policy, and specifically to the provision of affordable housing, are included in ULI’s Articles of Incorporation. ULI fundamentally believes that housing is a fundamental underpinning of healthy and thriving communities.

02 Real Estate Finance and Investment

A great deal of ULI’s value to our members and ability to meaningfully deliver our mission relates to our activities in real estate capital markets, including providing a forum for the providers and users of capital to convene. ULI’s traditional focus has been on connecting capital to real estate through the creation of value. This pillar also encompasses the market and economic factors that affect the supply and demand forces that drive land use change.

03 Sustainability and Economic Performance

Specifically referred to in ULI’s mission, and embedded in ULI’s dedication to the creation of long-term value, sustainability is more than energy efficiency or adaptation to climate change. It encompasses environmental, social, and governance issues as they relate to efficient use of resources and creating and maintaining a sustainable and resilient built environment.

04 Innovation in Development Practice

ULI’s applied research and education programs are based principally on best practices, on "what works," and the process of real estate development remains central to the mission and to our members’ activities. We foster innovation, but look to practical experience and knowledge sharing to advance the state of the art. This pillar refers primarily to activities, at various scales, that are considered site-specific. ULI traditionally takes a case study approach, using real-world examples to illustrate broadly applicable principles and practices.

05 Shaping Successful Cities and Regions

Site-specific development occurs within a broader physical and policy context shaped by numerous actors and decision-makers. This larger context, from neighborhood to metropolitan region, is the subject of this pillar. Here, activities and issues transcend property boundaries and encompass land use planning and development policy, infrastructure, metropolitan growth strategies, and transportation issues.

 
EXPLORE KNOWLEDGE FINDER

Books

Publications from the Urban Land Institute and its members.

Reading Lists

Select articles from ULI's award-winning magazine, curated around topics such as technology in real estate, opportunity zones, public private partnerships, and more.

Case Studies

Best practices and lessons learned from member development projects around the world.

Reports

Research from ULI Centers and Initiatives, including Advisory Services and Technical Assistance panel reports, Emerging Trends in Real Estate®, and more.

Courses

Live online and on-demand educational courses and professional development programs, including certificates and series.

Videos

Videos capturing some of our best events, comprehensive case studies, industry leaders, and more.

Events Library

Valuable content and programming from ULI events held globally year-round, including Product Council agendas.

Virtual Tours

Explore innovative and award-winning real estate development projects from across the world.

Market Spotlights

Market Spotlights highlight top real estate markets around the world. Explore what research ULI has done on a specific market, as well as key demographic data and content produced by the surrounding District or National Councils.

Webinars

On-demand webinars on real estate development challenges and opportunities, industry trends, economic forecasts, timely issues facing the industry.

Podcasts

Hear multidisciplinary industry leaders discuss a broad range of topics impacting their businesses and the industry in these ULI-produced podcast series from across the globe.