First-of-Its-Kind Playbook Aims to Protect Commercial Real Estate from Escalating Climate Risk

Now available for download, the framework sets a new standard for the industry

NEW YORK – RealEstateRama — Challenging the long-held belief that sustainability must come at a premium, a coalition convened by The Resiliency Company today launched “From Vulnerability to Value: A Risk Mitigation Playbook to Drive Resilient Development” (CRE Playbook). With significant contributions from industry leaders, including JLL, Ryan Companies US, Inc. and the Urban Land Institute, the playbook is now available as a free resource, offering a practical method for turning climate resilience into a competitive advantage.

In 2024 alone, global insured losses from natural disasters reached $137 billion, and weather-related events are rising 5 to 7 percent annually. Meanwhile, commercial real estate insurance premiums have surged 88 percent nationwide in the past five years, leaving developers, investors and owners increasingly at risk. And insurance costs are expected to double by 2040 for commercial buildings in the United States. The stakes are immense, and effective collaboration is critical to managing risk across the entire value chain.

“The financial threat from disasters and extreme weather is immense, but so is the opportunity for those who lead,” said Abby Ross, CEO of The Resiliency Company. “We initiated this effort because a reactive, compliance-based approach to resilience is no longer sufficient. This playbook represents a fundamental shift in mindset: from viewing resilience as a cost to be managed, to seeing it as a core driver of asset value, investor confidence, and long-term profitability. It’s the tool our industry needs to build for the future.”

Drawing on collective insights from 55 industry leaders across design, construction, real estate, finance, insurance and other sectors, representing a combined $2.5 trillion in market capitalization, the playbook offers a framework designed to connect stakeholders and facilitate risk mitigation throughout the development lifecycle.

“We recognized a collective need for a cross-sector resource that allows all stakeholders to work together and have more transparent discussions around navigating and proactively preparing for climate risk,” said Joe Rozza, Chief Sustainability Officer at Ryan Companies.  “This playbook, which outlines best practices and supportive tools, is the most cohesive document we have at our disposal to evaluate joint mitigation options and decide the right next steps in creating a more climate-resistant CRE industry.”

The CRE Playbook provides clear, actionable frameworks and practical strategies for identifying, assessing and mitigating climate-related risks. It addresses physical risks, such as wildfires, flooding and extreme heat, alongside transition risks driven by regulatory, technological and financial shifts.

“As a leading global commercial real estate company, JLL recognizes that our clients need actionable guidance to navigate the convergence of economic headwinds, escalating extreme weather events, and rapidly changing regulations,” said Janika McFeely, Vice President and Co-Lead of the Climate and Decarbonization Practice at JLL. “This Playbook fills a critical gap by providing stakeholder-specific best practices that demonstrate how forward-thinking risk management isn’t merely defensive—it’s a strategic differentiator that unlocks premium valuations, enhanced access to capital, and long-term market leadership in an increasingly challenging environment.”

“This playbook builds on ULI’s decade-plus history of helping leaders across the land use and real estate industry proactively confront climate risk and convert it into opportunity,” said Lindsay Brugger, Vice President, Resilience, at the Urban Land Institute. “By helping stakeholders across the real estate value chain assess and address evolving risks, this playbook offers a path to ensuring the places where we live, work, and play thrive long into the future.”

The complete CRE Playbook is now available to download at: https://resiliency.com/climate-risk-management-playbook.

The Urban Land Institute is a non-profit education and research institute supported by its members. Its mission is to shape the future of the built environment for transformative impact in communities worldwide. Established in 1936, the institute has more than 48,000 members worldwide representing all aspects of land use and development disciplines. For more information on ULI, please visit uli.org, or follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram.

About The Resiliency Company

The Resiliency Company mobilizes funding, policy, and innovation to build a safer, more climate-resilient future. We bring together historically fragmented industries and stakeholders to scale resilient infrastructure solutions that allow communities to withstand and recover from climate disasters. For more information, visit https://resiliency.com/.

About Ryan Companies US, Inc.

Founded in 1938, Ryan Companies offers comprehensive commercial real estate services as a national developer, designer, builder, capital markets advisor and real estate manager with a focus on creating places for people to thrive. Ryan’s work spans a wide range of sectors and product types including healthcare, industrial, mission critical, mixed-use, multifamily, office, and retail. Built on the foundation of integrity, honesty and community, Ryan has grown to over 1,700 team members in 17 offices and has completed projects in nearly every state. For more information, visit ryancompanies.com.

About JLL

For over 200 years, JLL (NYSE: JLL), a leading global commercial real estate and investment management company, has helped clients buy, build, occupy, manage and invest in a variety of commercial, industrial, hotel, residential and retail properties. A Fortune 500® company with annual revenue of $23.4 billion and operations in over 80 countries around the world, our more than 113,000 employees bring the power of a global platform combined with local expertise. Driven by our purpose to shape the future of real estate for a better world, we help our clients, people and communities SEE A BRIGHTER WAYSM. JLL is the brand name, and a registered trademark, of Jones Lang LaSalle Incorporated. For further information, visit jll.com.