The World on Fire

"It was exactly two years ago now that several hundred homes were evacuated in the Summit Park and Pinebrook neighborhoods, and my wife and I were one of them. I can tell you first hand how scary that was to be told we couldn’t go into our house except to collect pets or priceless possessions. What I can’t imagine is losing everything you own in a single night, or losing your entire family to a tragic disaster. But that is exactly what has happened to hundreds upon hundreds of people in the last two weeks on Maui.

We have been fortunate so far this summer in Northern Utah to be spared serious fire threats, but it can happen at anytime and it can happen fast.
People from the State of Utah are known to be stalwart providers of relief and service when anyone rings the crisis alarm. Well, I hear the bell ringing and feel moved to help. If any of you have ideas beyond donations to our amazing first responders like American Red Cross or the LDS church, I would love to hear from you. Here is a link to a local Maui organization that I may attempt to get more involved with.

https://lnkd.in/eNJAVrqm

I am so grateful for the people we get to work with every day and the generosity and spirit of care they embody.  Our thoughts and prayers go out to all people suffering loss from both natural and human caused disasters. We will count and share our blessings as best we can."

Michael Jeppesen, SIOR, LEED AP

Birds Eye View

Bird's eye view!

Skyler Smith captured this close call with a falcon while flying a drone out in Tooele, UT.

Utah's Economic Growth

Utah's remarkable population growth has sparked a surge in demand for housing, services, and goods which has greatly benefitted industrial real estate. A recent study conducted by the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute at the University of Utah provides valuable insights into migration patterns within our state and specifically the Wasatch Front region which includes Davis, Salt Lake, Utah, and Weber Counties.

To effectively address the evolving demands, Utah must align the development of industrial real estate with migration patterns and it has been taking significant steps to do so already. By investing in strategically positioned facilities in the northwest quadrant and along the Salt Lake/Utah County border, distributors and manufacturers have begun streamlining supply chains, reducing logistic costs, and generating new job opportunities.

Developers’ conservative approach has not only fueled economic growth, it has also enhanced Utah's appeal as a destination for businesses as a regional hub serving Nevada, Idaho, Arizona, and other growing western states despite national economic challenges. With Utah boasting the best economic outlook for its 16th year while holding the nation's youngest median age at 30.5 years and the highest average household size our state is primed to see significant future internal and migrant-driven population growth which will require continued significant investments to service.

The Power of Onshoring

In Part 3 of our onshoring blog series, Jay Flynn explores how the convergence of robotics, supply chain optimization, and a growing focus on manufacturing efficiency has fueled a compelling movement to bring manufacturing back to the U.S. and neighboring countries. Click here to read: https://lnkd.in/gHCHE6y5

Sustainability Through an Industrial Lense

Sustainability is always a topic that should be followed closely, it is forward-thinking that allows us to leave the world better than we found it. So many initiatives empower us to improve our world and the direction of our planet's sustainability. Our President and Managing Broker Michael Jeppesen has been a LEED AP or Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Accredited Professional since 2006. Michael’s passion for improving our world is inspiring and leads others in the IPG office to make environmentally friendly decisions. Not only is Michael LEED certified, but our IPG office is as well and in 2010 the building was awarded a LEED silver award for being sustainable in multiple categories. This effort is a perfect example of how one person leading the charge towards a cleaner earth can have a domino effect for others to also make the change. 

This same effort is now being seen in the industrial market due to companies being asked to reveal greenhouse gas emissions. Developers of industrial buildings are finding ways to build a net-zero energy and carbon-neutral building. With the help of sustainability consulting firms like Gaia, developers can now use the LEED Volume program which provides an environmentally friendly design to follow to ensure that the building is LEED certified. IPG’s Vice President and Senior Property Manager Chris Delong is very familiar with the effort it takes to create a sustainable building. He has made efforts to incorporate roof-top solar panels, LED lights/light studies, bee-keeping, and environmentally friendly HVAC systems to infuse sustainability into the industrial environment of each building he oversees. Michael, Chris, and many others have made strong efforts and contributions to make the world a cleaner place and with the path that developers are taking, industrial buildings across the country will be able to have the same effect.