El primer dia de clase! Translation….The first day of class!
During this summer real estate course, the class will explore the existing trends and issues and examine what may be in store for the future. The class started off by introducing ourselves to our classmates; however, most of the students knew each other from previous real estate courses with exception of a few. After our introductions, Dr. Forgey started the class by showing us a video of a development called SubTropolis. SubTropolis was created through the mining of a 270-million-year-old limestone deposit. There are 25-foot square pillars that are on 65-foot centers and 40 feet apart. The pillars’ even spacing, concrete flooring and 16-foot high, smooth ceilings make build-to-suit facilities time and cost efficient for tenants. SubTropolis is completely dry, brightly lit, with miles of wide, paved streets accessed at street level. Subtropolis provides low lease rate that are 30-50% less than above ground facilties, low utility costs that provide 50-70% savings in total energy costs, constant temperature and humidity levels, maximum flexibility for expansion and on-site services and sustainability. The developers thought outside the box to make the limestone mine into a successful adaptive re-use project. http://www.huntmidwest.com/subtropolis/index.html
Another video followed regarding the Bank of America skyscraper in New York that has a LEED Platinum designation. The building uses floor to floor ceiling insulating glass to contain heat and maximize natural light, and an automatic daylight dimming system. The tower also captures rainwater and reuses it. Water conservation features in the tower include waterless urinals. Air entering the building is filtered, but the air exhausted is cleaned as well. Conditioned air for the occupants is provided by multiple air column units located in the tenant space that deliver 62 degree air into a raised access floor plenum. This underfloor air system provides users with the ability to control their own space temperature as well as improving the ventilation effectiveness.
More owners are beginning to jump on board with building sustainable projects. Green projects not only help the community, but they assist with the marketability of a building as more people are becoming aware of sustainability.
Educational trends were discussed as well. A four year degree no longer guarantees employment. In addition to a four year degree, employers today are requiring future employees to have some of the following skill sets: proficiency in different computer software, effective written and verbal communication skills, organizational skills, and time management skills to name a few.
Another topic discussed is office hoteling. Office hoteling is a modern office paradigm where office workers don't have their own offices, cubicles, or even desks, and instead they have to reserve whatever space or resources they think they will need ahead of time. This method may help a business cut down on operating expenses because less office space will be required.
Dr. Forgey advised that we contact different companies that we may be interested in and try to get internships in order to start getting some work experience.
I enjoyed the first day of the Trends and Issues class, and I expect to learn a lot from it and my peers.
