Prius-like buildings are on the horizon and surging commercial real estate prices point to economic growth
Feb 7, 2014
Here are the news stories you might have missed this week:
Triple Pundit: How ‘hybrid electric buildings’ will transform commercial real estate
As global economies of scale continue to drive down technology cost, the possibility of Prius-like hybrid energy centers replacing traditional commercial real estate structures is slowly becoming a reality. These new designs not only reinvent the physical façade of commercial buildings, but they help reduce energy bills, increase worker productivity, and decrease the building’s total environmental footprint. To learn more about the electrical design elements in these high-tech buildings, visit TriplePundit.com.
GlobeSt.com: Tech demand overflows to industrial, retail
San Francisco boasts a booming retail real estate market, with the retail vacancy rate as low as 3% in bustling areas throughout the city. While demand for store space is high, limited geographic availability has deterred new retail construction in recent years. But San Fran’s retail face is about to change with the delivery of 20,000 new multi-residential units in the next 36 months, which promise new street level retail opportunities below residential properties. And this boom is spilling over into the industrial sector with tech firms transforming industrial space into creative office buildings. To hear more about San Francisco’s transformation, visit GlobeSt.com.
StarTribune.com: Commercial real estate industry targets Minnesota’s warehouse tax
As the Minnesota Legislature prepares to reconvene later this month, law makers plan to discuss the contested sales tax on commercial warehousing services. The real estate sector and Governor Mark Dayton hope to scrub the tax to keep warehousing profitable in the year to come. Check out StarTribune.com for more information about the hotly debated tax and how it could impact neighboring states.
Al Jazeera America: Commercial real estate prices surging
Skyrocketing office demand and rising commercial real estate prices can only mean one thing, a rebounding U.S. economy. Major real estate markets like Houston, New York, Boston, and Seattle are finally gaining legs after the financial crisis reduced market values by 25%. Although the Federal Reserve did reduce spending on its bond-buying program in January, analysts expect slow and cautious stimulus cut backs, giving the industry ample time to adjust to the new financial landscape. Click over to America.Aljazeera.com for more details.