The first output of CVU’s three-part Risk & Resilience webinar series has just been released. Derived from the inaugural webinar in the series, “Early In, Built to Last: Finance, Law, Design & Development Meet at the Resilience Table,” this new article synthesizes a discussion that brought together leaders from development finance, legal practice, insurance, and architecture to examine how early, coordinated engagement across disciplines shapes the resilience, insurability, and long-term value of the built environment.
Resilience Table Founder Natalia Moudrak, who moderated the panel discussion and authored the resulting article, draws on the panelists’ insights alongside supporting research to:
- Outline five key challenges to managing climate risk in the built environment,
- Provide an overview of the technical solutions emerging to address them, and
- Propose three questions that every RFP should ask to embed resilience into the procurement process from the outset.
As climate-related disasters become more frequent and costly, resilience has emerged as a defining factor in whether buildings and infrastructure remain insurable, financeable, and valuable over the long term. This article thoughtfully explores why resilient design must be embedded from the earliest stages of project planning, highlighting the financial case for resilience, the tools already available to assess and manage risk, and the importance of collaboration across finance, insurance, law, and design to create more durable, future-ready developments.
The Risk & Resilience webinar series will culminate in a live plenary session at the 2026 VU Summit, taking place 26–29 October in London, which will assemble experts from across the built environment to further examine the strategies, tools, and partnerships needed to advance resilience in a changing climate.