With over 50,000 senior housing developments across the country, the opportunities for energy reduction and financial savings achievable through retrofitting increasingly warrant serious consideration. Occupants should be involved from the start.

The desire of today’s creative class for connectivity, walkability and non-traditional live and work spaces is reshaping how designers, architects, and developers design homes and offices, says Christopher B. Leinberger, president of LOCUS, a real estate policy advocate for walkable and transit-oriented development.

Walking and bicycling provide many benefits—reduced air pollution, improved public health, decreased dependence on foreign oil—but federal funding for nonmotorized transportation is now in jeopardy.

In a recent dialogue amongst officials of Hamburg, Germany and of the U.S. cities of Baltimore, Boston, Washington, D.C., panelists provided their thoughts on the City of Hamburg’s successful urban sustainability initiative and what barriers stood between replicating similar efforts in their respective cities.

Commercial real estate tenants and investors are increasingly explicit in recognizing that an energy-efficient asset produces stronger returns by lowering operating costs. However, information on whole-building energy performance is often unavailable, making it difficult for the market to distinguish between efficient and inefficient assets. Read about changes and progress being made in this area.

As city governments seek to improve the sustainability of their buildings—while also cutting operating costs—they are increasingly exploring the benefits of green civic structures. Read about the city of Henderson, Nevada’s experience with its North Community Police Station, which offers valuable lessons for other cities while also highlighting some important benefits of a green police station.

If the real estate industry can use this time to recalibrate its thinking about what is an appropriate level of risk-adjusted return, and how it might better account for all costs imposed by real estate development—from commodity to responsible—it may have a better chance to get the next decade of real estate investment right. Read how the real estate industry can lay the foundation for a more successful outcome when the market returns.

Sales are slow. Leasing is sluggish. You need more activity, but your cash is tight. How can you squeeze more momentum from your marketing budget? Read what several ULI council members offer in terms of maximizing marketing using traditional and social media outlets.