"Building a cross-disciplinary network will not only help you develop clients and have trusted peers to refer to your clients, but it will also help you develop a dependable circle of informal advisors," says Robert E. McPeak of McDonald Carano.

The concept could become important not only as one way of addressing climate change, but in making multifamily properties and portfolios more appealing to investors.

Partners will focus on large build-to-suit facilities in food, transportation centers.