Summit Journal

Already leveraged for other commercial real estate asset types, mass timber has the potential to revolutionize industrial real estate development by offering sustainable, durable, and efficient construction solutions.

In the face of increased technological proliferation, property owners must develop new systems that not only safeguard their intellectual and physical assets, but also verify and track digital interactions (and revenue) tied to their properties.

The growth outlook for listed infrastructure continued to improve in 2024. Companies have been key beneficiaries of a virtuous cycle of generative AI development, and today’s generative AI needs represent a game change for the utility sector.

By emphasizing sustainability, social impact, and economic uplift, investors who participate in these purpose-driven projects are investing in the long-term economic health of the communities in which they live and serve.

The National Association of Home Builders’ Multifamily Production Index reported a low score towards the end of 2024, but instead of serving as a red flag for developers, a low rating can also be seen as an opportunity.

Retail has gone from being the weakest asset class to a promising one due to modest inventory growth and the elimination of redundant space. Opportunities abound in growing markets in which retail has not yet caught up with an increasing population.

COVID-19 was a demographic shock with dissipating effect. Disparities remain, but the direction of change is toward narrowing the gap between metros with declining vs. fast-growing populations.

AFIRE’s award-winning Summit Journal is seeking articles from investors, academics, and experts focused the energy sector and the future of commercial real estate for our first-ever “Power Issue.”

The current environment offers unique entry points that should not be overlooked, and investors who continue to be active in markets with steady demand, growth drivers, and supply limitations will be rewarded.

The US remains the largest global commercial real estate market, as past return performance, favorable growth and demographics, and a diverse asset base continue to appeal to foreign investment.

It feels like we have finally emerged from five years of economic turbulence in a better position than we might have feared along the way.

Summit Journal Issue 17 explores the growing gap between our economic assumptions about the state of the world and the reality of daily life in the built environment. What should we understand about commercial real estate today to better plan for tomorrow?

Ground leases are an overlooked asset class among institutional investors due to their low absolute returns, limited market depth, and lack of institutional expertise.

Solar installations on commercial properties can provide additional revenue streams through solar roof leases and net metering or selling excess electricity back to the grid, which positively impact the financial performance of commercial properties—and move the needle on valuation.

For the fifth year in a row, AFIRE’s Summit Journal has been recognized with the Graphic Design USA Award and MarCom Award for association publications.

Within the evolving investment landscape, the emergence of OpCo-PropCo models present a compelling opportunity for institutional investors seeking to capture value in innovative, operationally complex real estate business models.

Several of the world’s major shipping choke points are challenged, and heightened geopolitical tensions threaten world trade. The potential result of these blockages could power a tailwind on inflation—and a drag on GDP.

Anticipated moves on interest rates at central banks could unlock capital and support the closing of a strong pipeline of infrastructure investments.

It has become almost cliché to call office “the new retail,” but even as office has been disrupted, comparisons between the two might be distracting from more clear-minded assessments.

The NCREIF Open End Diversified Core Index can offer a critical glimpse into which types of office properties—and which markets—have suffered the most in terms of leasing occupancy, and where the market might go next.