While I pursued my Master’s degree in Economics, I interned with an organization that studies demographics and health in developing nations. Currently, I work in real estate econometrics. Combining these research interests, I have maintained affiliations with several professional groups involved in demographics and land use. One of these is the Urban Land Institute (ULI). Established in the 1930s, the ULI has attracted members from some 95 countries around the world. The ULI holds the distinction of being one of the most prestigious multidisciplinary forums on research into real estate and best practices in land use. Through its events, programs, and activities, the ULI brings together leaders from many disciplines involved in land use, fostering dialogue in order to solve issues related to conservation, urbanization, and sustainable development. The ULI identifies emerging problems in the use of land and spearheads research aimed at developing creative solutions to these problems. Based on its research, the ULI publishes summary books on best practices for resort construction, retail and office development, transportation and parking, and residential property development, to name a few. Promoting community-based activity is another major focus of the ULI. The organization offers community action grants designed to facilitate the creation of community outreach programs. In order to promote dialogue among stakeholders, the ULI also manages a Smart Growth Alliances program focused on regional-level sustainable development issues. In addition, the ULI provides technical assistance to communities struggling to deal with land-use issues. As an example of the organization’s work, consider this video produced for the ULI Energy Efficient Exchange program. It provides some statistics on the benefits of retrofitting existing buildings for energy efficiency.
The Urban Land Institute
