With the changing economic and technological landscape in the U.S., there are many ideas and opinions circulating about current trends in U.S. commercial real estate. No major property type is immune from speculation. While trends are new, they tend to gain traction through the industry media, especially if they are particularly alarming or salacious (for example, the ubiquitous claim that “brick-and-mortar retail is dead!”). However, the headline often does not tell the full story, and what has become standard perception is either partially or wholly inaccurate. Trends that are present nationally may be altered or absent when examined at a local level, and metro areas large and small may tell a different story.

This report explains how flexible offerings have caused a structural shift in the U.S. real estate industry. It also explores potential growth opportunities and the sector's likely prospects in a recession scenario.

In 2018, SAP sought to redefine how innovative teams use office spaces. Its goal was to create a destination that enables people with ideas and capital to connect. They leveraged 'design thinking' to create a community space for collaboration and innovation. A brainchild was born: the SAP Innovation Center and HanaHaus for Orange County's thinkers, makers and doers. Through ideation and prototype building, an unconventional, collaborative workspace and research development center was formed. This synergistic environment and unique co-working experience features the latest technology and functional design, transforming a community of innovators and idealists into a community of founders. 

Today, we use our smartphones to effortlessly summons Uber, pay bills and order dinner. But do you think to use your smartphone to visualize a sign on a building or tour a vacant space? The application of technology and augmented reality (AR) is exploding. Experts have predicted there will be 3.5 billion AR-enabled devices by 2022, and the industry will be worth as much as $85 billion. AR and VR arguably have the potential to truly change how business is done. Both technologies have generated great momentum in the retail sector, but what does it look like for the office or industrial markets, and will it really be adopted?

AI-optimized solutions are used in many different disciplines, from flight scheduling to distribution and retail site selection, and even scheduling NFL games. But organizations have been slow to adopt these approaches for better workplace and real estate planning and management. AI tools now enable space planners to instantly access facility data, develop comprehensive real estate and workplace scenario plans, organize complex moves with ease, and evaluate real estate usage to maximize efficiencies and reduce costs. Results often find millions in overlooked cost savings and productivity improvements. But AI can't do everything. This session is part panel and interactive roundtable discussions. Gain insights on how organizations evaluate qualitative considerations that are key components of the employee experience and information to find the best workplace solutions using AI techniques during roundtable discussions with your peers.

Women are well positioned to bring a dynamic voice that can affect the balance between management efficiency and employee well-being. This unique session will begin stories of how female leaders sparked change to build more mindful workplace experiences. Their 'It's personal' stories will show how their experiences led them to help staff, family and loved ones lead their best healthy lives. Discover how these diverse organizations have championed and sustained workplace well-being. Create a business case and a practical framework for well-being. Understand the well-being 'deficit' in your organization and develop an action plan. 

Companies today are experiencing transformative change at an accelerated pace. New products and services, new business models and new competitors require a new way of thinking about talent and the skills necessary to keep pace with change. In this session a panel of business leaders will explore how their talent model has changed, the new skills required to deliver on their business strategies and how they are thinking differently about their locations in their transformation journey. The attributes and 4 key characteristics of Global Innovation Hubs will be examined.  The panel will share how each of these characteristics influenced or will influence their location and site selection decisions. 

The rapid advancement of new amous technology, the sharing economy and the fall of siloed space, will have profound impact on the spaces and places that we create. Yet what is driving this change is the desire to enable people to live and work in optimum conditions. Hence, the rise of the machine age and the human factor. These two streams are converging in the workplace and changing not only the tools we use, but when, where and how we work as well. Today most companies, regardless of their sector, consider themselves tech companies, so understanding how technology is impacting us affects everyone.