6 must reads for the AEC industry today: August 3, 2020

1. The future is a numbers game for retail and restaurants (BD+C)
"Brick-and-mortar retailers, already gasping for air under pressure from ecommerce, were dealt a critical blow by the spread of the coronavirus that forced most stores and restaurants to close, or at best operate as carryout- or delivery-only providers."

2. Marriott, Hilton, and IHG continue to dominate the U.S. hotel construction pipeline at Q2’20 close (Lodging Econometrics)
"Hilton’s Home2 Suites and IHG’s Holiday Inn Express continue to be the most prominent brands in the U.S. pipeline."

3. 5 reasons universities are renovating student housing (Clark Nexsen)
"Much of the student housing in need of renovation today was built for the “boomer” generation of the 1950s and 1960s. Facility design for this generation was more pragmatic than anything, with a large portion of new buildings constructed simply to accommodate the large influx of students."

4. Can covid spread with air conditioning? HVAC makers plan upgrades (Bloomberg, via National Real Estate Investor)
"Many of the methods to reduce pathogens have been around for years, such as UV light and bipolar ionization."

5. Unlocking the Value of College Real Estate (Inside Higher Ed)
"While the pandemic has created significant financial challenges for many higher education institutions, the campus itself may be the solution."

6. Why mall landlords are turning empty anchors into fulfillment centers (National Real Estate Investor)
"Washington Prime Group is among the landlords who are filling anchor vacancies with fulfillment operations."

The Architectural Billings Index measures the general sentiment of U.S. architecture firms about the health of the construction market by measuring 1) design billings and 2) design contracts. Any score above 50 means that, among the architecture firms surveyed, more firms than not reported seeing increases in design work vs. the previous month.