Book excerpt: Understand vital business factors that are central to modern land development projects As real estate development evolves to accommodate increasingly more complex regulation and sophisticated built structures, so too must the roles of different members of the development team evolve. The entire development team, including architects and civil engineers, must participate actively in consulting throughout the entire lifecycle of modern development projects. This expanded role often means that contemporary design team members may find themselves involved in contentious, cross-disciplinary decisions that their predecessors did not have to address. This comprehensive textbook explores the entire development process from an applied perspective to provide architects, civil engineers, and other team members with an understanding of the context in which real estate development occurs. Presented by an industry-leading design firm, the book offers complete explanations of all business considerations that influence land development projects at every stage. Development of the Built Environment: From Site Acquisition to Project Completion provides a holistic view of the development process and enables the development team to more effectively complete projects of all sizes and budgets. This text includes detailed coverage of: • Developers and the development process• Public and private project types• Recognizing opportunity • Selecting and controlling the site• Planning and creating the built environment• Key considerations for designing the project• Preliminary financial analysis and planning• Plan approval, permit issuance, construction, and completion