“Smart” buildings are not a new concept. In 1983, The New York Times featured an article titled “‘Intelligent’ Buildings Using Computers,” which talked about Cityplace, “the world’s first intelligent building” located in Hartford, Connecticut.

The evolved workplace is here, something not at all like the traditional offices last seen in 2019. As a result of the pandemic, a revised relationship now exists between organizations and employees. A new middle ground is beginning to emerge, a more welcoming and supportive environment where new creative office environments play a central role.

Employee needs have shifted dramatically in the last three years. The task of recruiting and retaining employees has begun to extend beyond the traditional compensation package. What matters now is not just how and where employees work, but the means in which employers demonstrate how much they value the contributions of employees. Here we take a glimpse at the current labor market and some of the ways businesses are getting creative with benefits and job perks to attract and retain workers.

As the retail sector rebounds from another great disruption, the hybrid approach between physical and digital experiences is gaining steam in the industry.

This past summer, thought leaders in South Carolina’s capital city of Colombia gathered to honor the outstanding women, past and present, who helped shape our country’s 18th state. The occasion was the official unveiling of Architecture of Strength, an impressive monolithic sculpture and a daily reminder of women’s profound contribution to the community and beyond.

Due to the increased pressure produced by the wake of COVID-19, commercial real estate (CRE) industries such as the life sciences have had to accelerate innovation to stay afloat. Similarly, industrial saw a rise in demand for space to support the sector’s new and expanding activities. Let’s look closer at the Life Sciences Boom and how CRE has taken strides to accommodate its growth.

Now may be the ideal time to consider adaptive reuse to convert commercial property to residential or repurposed for a different commercial use.

Commercial real estate (CRE) relies heavily on social trends and technology to stay current and competitive. One of the latest developments to have captured our collective imaginations is the metaverse, perhaps because of its sci-fi sounding name — or, due to the investments made in the technology by global brands, FinTechs, and even celebrities. A potentially multi-trillion dollar opportunity buoyed by nearly 400 million current users (projected to reach five billion by 2030), the metaverse may be poised to become the next big tactic in business strategy.

For the multifamily housing industry, 2022 is here. Along with the new year, there’s a hope for better times as well as a need to clean-up unfinished business.

As a powerful supporting driver of Commercial Real Estate (CRE), e-commerce has shown how it can endure, even through a pandemic and supply chain shutdowns. Learn more about how e-commerce has helped maintain a steady demand for space — and how the Industrial sector is responding.

Amidst the ongoing crisis, built environments are at the front lines of change and will play a huge role in creating a more resilient world going forward. Office architects are re-envisioning the future of the workplace—where and how we work. Unfortunately, there is no crystal ball to predict exactly what the new future-oriented office will look like, but what we do know is flexibility and adaptability will be key in resilient design.

As a corporate priority, companies are now making tangible moves to create value through Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG). But what does it really mean beyond the buzzwords and terminology? In KBS’ three-part series, we’ll take a deep dive into each element of ESG — and its strategic application to the commercial real estate industry (CRE).

Environmental, social, and governance (ESG) are pillars of a company’s standards, priorities, and ideals. ESG has also been defined as a set of criteria investors use to keep their portfolios as socially responsible as possible. The rate in which worldwide investors are screening for ESG commitment when contemplating potential investments is increasing exponentially, and there’s no denying its growing influence on the way in which companies choose to do business.

Owners and investors in Commercial Real Estate (CRE) are working to attract employees back to the office while contending with trends such as hybrid work, competitors who offer work-from-home options, and the Great Resignation. At the same time, employees are hyperaware of their surroundings — with health and safety top of mind.

For many years “maximizing shareholder value” has been a central principle for public companies. Raising share values and increasing dividends for stockholders were paramount. But there has also been a growing push-back and a change in focus towards consumer and employee relationships.

The pandemic fundamentally changed the way the commercial real estate (CRE) community considered investing in the retail sector. As Covid-19 took hold, it appeared like retail was down for the count.

The pandemic has brought a myriad of changes, much of which will have a permanent impression on commercial real estate (CRE). One of the most notable is the shift in consumer behavior and the impact on the environment around us.

If the pandemic has taught us anything, it’s that the life sciences have had a tremendous, life-saving impact across the globe. Vaccines and treatments now allow most people to avoid Covid’s worst outcomes — results that would not have been possible without an existing infrastructure replete with life sciences facilities. But Covid is just the latest and most visible concern being tackled.

Industrial Real Estate is currently the best performing commercial real estate (CRE) asset type, touting 44 consecutive quarters of positive net absorption. That’s according to recent forecasts, research articles, reports, and other data and analysis presented over the past couple of months. This spotlights an intriguing success story amid a pandemic that crippled so many businesses and industries.

Inflation is the economic worry of the moment, a headache that could affect commercial real estate over the coming months. But should CRE actually be seen as a hedge against inflation?