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Thank you for your time in taking this survey and helping the City of Charlotte to continuously improve its programs and services!

Originally published on May 7, 2021, by the Building Design + Construction Network

Construction employment was unchanged from March to April as nonresidential contractors and home builders alike struggled to obtain materials and find enough workers, according to an analysis by the Associated General Contractors of America of government data released today. Association officials said the industry’s recovery was being hampered by problems getting stable prices and reliable deliveries of key materials, while the pandemic and federal policies were making it harder for firms to find workers to hire.

“Contractors are experiencing unprecedented intensity and range of cost increases, supply-chain disruptions, and worker shortages that have kept firms from increasing their workforces,” said Ken Simonson, the association’s chief economist. “These challenges will make it difficult for contractors to rebound as the pandemic appears to wane.”

Construction employment in April totaled 7,452,000, matching the March total but amounting to 196,000 employees or 2.6% below the most recent peak in February 2020. The number of former construction workers who were unemployed in April, 768,000, dropped by half from a year ago and the sector’s unemployment rate fell from 16.6% in April 2020 to 7.7% last month.

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Originally published on April 26, 2021 by Linda Strowbridge for NAIOP E-Newsletter.

Despite its traditional roots, construction has started to transform into a digital industry. Building information modeling, geospatial technologies, prefabrication and modular construction, drone services, augmented-reality wearables and other technologies are increasingly becoming a larger and more crucial part of successful, efficient, profitable construction projects.

“An Overview of Emerging Construction Technologies,” a NAIOP Research Foundation report, details the recent advances and new horizons in construction technology. Authors Andrew McCoy, Ph.D., a professor in the Department of Building Construction at Virginia Tech, and Armin Yeganeh, Ph.D., a postdoctoral fellow at Virginia Tech, talked to NAIOP about what these technology advances mean for construction firms and commercial real estate companies.

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Originally published on April 20, 2021, by Erin Goff for NAIOP.

Colorado legislators are poised to introduce what is being referred to by proponents as the “Energy Performance in Buildings Act of 2021.” The draft bill, which mandates energy benchmarking and performance standards, requires owners of most commercial, multifamily and public buildings over 50,000 square feet to collect and report the building’s energy use to the Colorado Energy Office (CEO). The building will then be given an Energy Star score compared to other buildings. By 2026, owners of buildings that do not meet a certain score must make improvements that lead to a 15-point Energy Star score increase, a 15% energy use intensity reduction, or other options. Failure to reach energy reduction mandates will result in hefty civil penalties for commercial and multifamily building owners. Buildings exempt from the penalty provision include buildings owned by the state, municipalities, counties, special districts, school districts and state institutions of higher education.

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Originally published by Marta Soncodi for NAIOP's Spring 2021 Issue.

A new ratings system quantifies how effective they are across several important criteria. 

Investing in smart building technology may not be seen as a priority after commercial real estate investments were hit especially hard in 2020. However, if improving tenant experience was being considered before the pandemic, it’s now an imperative.

Why should commercial real estate owners consider investing in smart building technology upgrades? Based on research and industry analysis, fully integrated smart systems can increase building efficiency, optimize facility operations, improve occupant safety, security and wellbeing, and enhance end-user preferences. And, in light of the pandemic, stakeholders — commercial real estate companies, building owners, managers, and tenants — should examine the competitive advantages of smart building technology. 

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Originally published on April 9, 2021 by Brielle Scott for NAIOP Blog.

The disruption caused by COVID-19 has accelerated the blending of brick-and-mortar retail and logistics real estate. This has resulted in the emergence of a new hybrid store model – one that takes omnichannel strategies to the next level and promises to revolutionize the retail, industrial and logistics industries. 

In a recent NAIOP webinar, John Morris, head of industrial and retail, CBRE, and Andres Rodriquez, senior research analyst, CBRE, shared their vision for a hybrid store that preserves the store experience for physical shopping while leveraging logistics capabilities for the fulfillment of online sales. 

Rodriquez started the discussion by sharing some historical data. According to data between 2010-2019, prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, online retail sales were growing about 16% per year, while in-store retail sales were growing about 3% per year. In response to that, retailers had been focusing heavily on rolling out their online platforms to meet consumer demand. 

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Originally published by Andrew McCoy, Ph.D., and Amin Yeganeh, Ph.D. in March 2021 for NAIOP's Research Foundation.

The construction industry has historically been slow to develop or adopt new technologies, resulting in productivity growth that has lagged other sectors. However, protracted labor shortages have increased demand for labor and time-saving technologies, and recent advances have given rise to a new generation of more efficient, flexible and adaptive construction technologies. Successfully adopting these new technologies will require that firms evaluate their costs, benefits and risks and update construction practices as needed.

The NAIOP Research Foundation commissioned this report to explore emerging construction technologies and their implications for the construction and real estate development industries. The authors draw from interviews with researchers and industry practitioners to evaluate the current benefits and limitations of new technologies. This report:

• Profiles technologies that are rapidly being deployed in construction projects and those that are likely to be adopted by the industry in the coming years.
• Examines how technologies have the potential to transform construction practices and disrupt traditional business models.
• Outlines best practices for firms to prepare for and adapt to new technologies.

Download Report

Originally published by Andrew McCoy, Ph.D., and Amin Yeganeh, Ph.D. in March 2021 for NAIOP's Research Foundation.

The construction industry has historically been slow to develop or adopt new technologies, resulting in productivity growth that has lagged other sectors. However, protracted labor shortages have increased demand for labor and time-saving technologies, and recent advances have given rise to a new generation of more efficient, flexible and adaptive construction technologies. Successfully adopting these new technologies will require that firms evaluate their costs, benefits and risks and update construction practices as needed.

The NAIOP Research Foundation commissioned this report to explore emerging construction technologies and their implications for the construction and real estate development industries. The authors draw from interviews with researchers and industry practitioners to evaluate the current benefits and limitations of new technologies. This report:

• Profiles technologies that are rapidly being deployed in construction projects and those that are likely to be adopted by the industry in the coming years.
• Examines how technologies have the potential to transform construction practices and disrupt traditional business models.
• Outlines best practices for firms to prepare for and adapt to new technologies.

Download Report

We need your voice!

Over the past few months, NAIOP Charlotte, in conjunction with REBIC and other real estate associations, has spent considerable time and energy reviewing the proposed 2040 Comprehensive Plan from the City of Charlotte (the Comp Plan). 

It is a hefty document coming in at 320 pages and is a visionary document for how Charlotte will grow and develop over the next 20 years.  Charlotte Planning created the document with considerable community input, and it will be used as the guide for creating the  Unified Development Ordinance (a replacement for our existing zoning code), so there is a lot riding on the proper execution of the Comp Plan.

The Comp Plan rightfully addresses many concerns the community has, especially around equity and inclusivity   We fully support these goals, yet we want to be able to include goals to create a thriving community into the plan as well.  It is hard to distill such a large document into a few points, but the following are highlights of our concerns with the plan and the process to create it:

Originally published by NAIOP Research Foundation on February 22, 2021.

Strong Growth in Demand for Industrial Space

The NAIOP Research Foundation has published the NAIOP Industrial Space Demand Forecast or Q1 2021.

Key Takeaways

Originally published in NAIOP E-Newsletter on February 2, 2021. 

Watch NAIOP's State of the Association hear a recap of 2020, preview NAIOP's legislative priorities, and learn what’s next for the association as we journey through 2021.

The last 12 months have been filled with unexpected challenges and a pandemic none of us could have imagined. It impacted our lives and our industry in countless ways, from how we operate our businesses to tenant demand and use of space.

We anticipate a steady readjustment to a post-pandemic world, with a deep examination of how office, industrial, retail, and other shared spaces will be reimagined. These changes can be viewed as opportunities. The CRE industry continues to modernize and adapt as we create new strategies that will help us succeed.

North Carolina is the #8 state in the U.S. for contributions to state GDP created by retail/entertainment real estate development. Overall, the construction and development of office, industrial, warehouse, and retail created and supported 67,041 related jobs and contributing $8.99 billion to the state’s economy in 2020 (the most recent data available).

The data is from “Economic Impacts of Commercial Real Estate, 2021 U.S. Edition,” published annually by the NAIOP Research Foundation.

New development and ongoing operations of existing commercial real estate buildings in the United States – office, industrial, warehouse, and retail – generates significant economic growth at the national level:

• Created and supported 8 million American jobs in 2020.
• Contributed $1.01 trillion to U.S. GDP.
• Generated $338.1 billion in salaries and wages.

“Many factors point to a commercial real estate rebound in 2021,” said Thomas J. Bisacquino, president and CEO of NAIOP. “Obviously, we dealt with several unknowns and unexpected challenges in 2020. The pandemic accelerated trends already progressing in real estate. The warehouse sector has flourished as e-commerce demand intensified; office space has been impacted by tenant demand, as remote work options expand and companies rethink space needs; and the retail sector struggled as shoppers preferred to buy online. Nonetheless, commercial real estate construction and development sectors remain solid, valuable contributors to the U.S. economy, and we have a bright future as the economy continues to improve.”

Originally published by the NAIOP Research Foundation on February 3, 2021.

The NAIOP Research Foundation has published its annual Economic Impacts of Commercial Real Estate, 2021 U.S. Edition.

Commercial real estate development and operation of existing buildings generated the following economic benefits in 2020:

• Supported 8.0 million American jobs (a measure of both new and existing jobs).
• Contributed $1.01 trillion to U.S. GDP.
• Generated $338.1 billion in salaries and wages.

Key measures impacting economic growth in 2021 include:

The City of Concord is updating their UDO – Read more

Kannapolis is updating their UDO – Read more

Originally published on behalf of NAIOP Research Foundation on November 19, 2020. 

Negative Absorption of Office Space Expected to Continue in Short Term, Trend Positive Beginning Q2 2021

The NAIOP Research Foundation has published the NAIOP Office Space Demand Forecast for Q4 2020.

Key Takeaways:

• Given the continued challenges facing the U.S. economy, office net absorption is forecast to be negative 18 million square feet in Q4 2020 and negative 10 million square feet in Q1 2021.
   
• Growth in net absorption is forecast to resume in Q2 2021, and the total net absorption over the period from Q2 2021 to Q3 2022 will exceed negative absorption from the recession, resulting in overall gains in absorption over the next two years.
   
• The largest office-using industries have been more insulated from the effects of the pandemic than the economy as a whole, but their shift to remote-work arrangements has diminished demand for office space.
   
• Multiyear lease terms have mitigated the effects of reduced occupancy on vacancy rates, which have risen to 14% in the third quarter. Vacancy rates are likely to continue to rise through the end of 2020 as more leases come up for renewal.

View the full report.

Originally published by Marc Stiles on November 5, 2020, for Puget Sound Business Journal 

The tech-fueled evolution of industrial real estate is creating opportunities for underused assets, large and small. The possibilities seem almost endless.

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Originally published on November 17, 2020 in NAIOP's E-Newsletter.

The new 2020 NAIOP/CEL Commercial Real Estate Compensation and Benefits Reports are now available for purchase online. Each includes salary, bonus, incentives, and benefits for up to 200 positions, and data from 100,000 distinct jobs in the office/industrial, retail and residential property sectors. Data is sortable by company size, type, specialization and more.

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Originally published on November 10, 2020, by NAIOP Source Weekly E-News.

Is your 2021 salary and bonus package competitive? Find out with the 2020 NAIOP/CEL Commercial Real Estate Compensation and Benefits Reports.

These valuable reports enable commercial real estate businesses to stay current on salaries, bonuses, and benefits for CRE professionals from executives to entry-level positions.

The reports include:

Join us on Monday, July 27th as we hear a panel of experts discuss the present state of lending from different lenders’ perspectives on the present commercial lending environment. Submit questions for the panel in advance here.

Panelists

• • Scott Cook, Commercial RE Market Manager, TD Bank 
  • Anthony Fertita, Senior Managing Director, JLL 
  • Welch Liles, Director – Development, Asana Partners (Moderator) 
  • Brad Smith, Commercial Real Estate Banking Market Executive, Bank of America 

Registration

Registration for members will be free and $15 for non-members through July 22. Beginning July 23, the registration fee will increase to $10 for members and $20 for non-members. Prior registration is required.