Research, analysis, and perspectives on the built world.
Industrial real estate development is entering a more rigorous underwriting environment after the pandemic demand surge. This post covers site criteria by asset type, tenant requirement-driven program design, build-to-suit vs. spec considerations, and how AI is compressing the site screening and permitting workflow for industrial developers.
April 2, 2026 ·5 min read
When due diligence, site analysis, and investment memo prep are delivered as a service rather than built in-house or outsourced to consultants, the economics and workflow of institutional development teams change fundamentally.
April 1, 2026 ·4 min read
Site selection decisions fail when critical data layers are incomplete or assembled too slowly. This guide covers the six data categories every development team needs -- power availability, zoning, environmental risk, transportation, market demand, and parcel ownership -- with specific sources and flags for each. Includes how AI-assisted workflows are changing the assembly process.
April 1, 2026 ·5 min read
Commercial solar development requires stacking irradiance, grid access, land criteria, permitting, and offtake analysis before a site can advance. This guide covers each criterion at the practitioner level, including where interconnection queue dynamics are creating the biggest bottlenecks in 2026. Includes a breakdown of where AI compresses the site screening and advancement process.
April 1, 2026 ·5 min read
Institutional capital is deploying into data center development through four distinct structures: digital infrastructure funds, large manager platform plays, public REITs, and sovereign wealth direct investment. This piece covers how each vehicle works, what return profiles look like, and what institutional fund managers are evaluating in development partners.
April 1, 2026 ·5 min read
Professional services is undergoing a structural shift from headcount-based delivery to AI-native execution. CRE development is one of the highest-value verticals for this change, with intelligence-heavy workflows, large outsourcing budgets, and high deal velocity pressure.
March 31, 2026 ·4 min read
A practical due diligence checklist for institutional real estate developers, covering physical, legal, financial and environmental workstreams. Explains what AI can automate in each phase and where human judgment remains non-negotiable. Includes a sequencing guide for the typical 30-to-60-day DD window.
March 31, 2026 ·5 min read
Explains what an AI-native services firm is, how it differs from traditional consulting and SaaS platforms, and why institutional real estate development is the highest-value vertical for this model. Positions Build as the canonical example in the built world.
March 31, 2026 ·4 min read
A practical three-phase framework for deploying AI in a real estate development workflow. Covers where to start, how to sequence high-volume versus judgment-intensive tasks, and what to measure. Designed for CDOs, VPs of Development, and development directors building an AI-enabled team.
March 31, 2026 ·5 min read