Triple Bottom Line: Financial, Social & Environmental Returns
Urban Development & Finance measures the success of its projects not just by the "bottom line", but by the triple bottom line. That is to say, Urban projects are designed to deliver financial, social and environmental returns to our partners, the projects themselves, and the communities in which they stand.
Financial returns include delivering appropriate yields to all types of investors, lenders and project partners. Whether it’s an Urban Opportunity Fund or a solar energy project on a low-income building in South Los Angeles, market rate financial returns reward our partners for investing in projects that deliver more deeply to the community and the natural environment.
Communities thrive when we focus on Social outcomes: what’s best for the community is best for our projects. Successful second-bottom line projects can be attract new ideas, community energy and investment. Social returns include the creation of new jobs and job training, wealth building opportunities and property ownership, access to efficient and affordable mass transit, preservation of historic structures and neighborhoods, and support education and the arts, to name a few.
Few will argue with the Environmental impacts of high fuel costs, poor indoor air quality, increased pressure on the natural environment, or that buildings are responsible for a large portion of the energy we use and greenhouse gases generated in the United States. The demand for healthy, efficient buildings is powerful, so The Urban Group is keenly focused on financing sustainable projects. Our principals have participated in financing and developing over $650 million in green buildings, including Silver, Gold and Platinum buildings in major US markets.