Date Posted: 05.10.2017
The Urban Land Institute (ULI) released a report last week exploring the growing involvement of the real estate industry in helping municipalities manage stormwater runoff with systems using natural resources. Among the featured project case studies is High Point, the Seattle Housing Authority’s largest residential project (1,700 affordable and market-rate homes), which incorporates an extensive natural drainage system that keeps utility costs low and protects 10% of the Longfellow Creek watershed, one of Seattle’s four remaining salmon-bearing creeks.
“Harvesting the Value of Water: Stormwater, Green Infrastructure, and Real Estate,” looks at how water management mechanisms using green infrastructure can create value for real estate projects by improving operational efficiency as well as serving as an attractive amenity. While using green infrastructure to capture stormwater is not new, the report notes that an increasing number of local governments are creating coordinated citywide green infrastructure networks including both public and private properties. Many real estate developers are responding to new regulations by incorporating the requirements into their business models.
Additional Mithun projects showcasing green infrastructure are Goodwill Job Training and Education Center, Tulalip Administration Building and Puyallup City Hall Block.
