Renowned economist and futurist Jason Schenker will deliver a fast-paced and thought-provoking keynote tailored for commercial real estate’s most forward-looking leaders. He’ll break down the global and U.S. economic outlook, financial market trends, and the shifting dynamics of global competition—including supply chain security, energy access, and the race for technological advantage.

Schenker will also explore how artificial intelligence and emerging technologies are transforming business models and fueling new waves of data center development and digital infrastructure investment. Attendees will gain clear, actionable insights to anticipate risk, identify opportunity, and stay ahead in an increasingly complex global economy.

Examine the growing scale and complexity of data center development and what the future holds for the industry. This interactive session encourages collaborative discussion on emerging trends and operational challenges. Attendees will gain practical insights and perspectives to streamline development, mitigate risks and successfully deliver high-performing data center projects.

Explore the financing landscape and capital market trends shaping data center growth. In small-group discussions, expert facilitators share real-world experience navigating deal structures, sourcing capital, and executing transactions. Attendees will gain strategies to evaluate funding options, optimize capital stacks and understand market dynamics, equipping them to make more informed investment decisions and secure the financing needed to drive growth in today’s competitive data center market.

Data centers are infrastructural landscapes that shape flows of information, power and commerce. This presentation traces their evolution from purely utilitarian structures to contemporary facilities responding to operational, environmental and civic pressures. Explore how emerging architectural and urban strategies are beginning to redefine the presence, form and societal role of these essential yet often invisible nodes in the digital economy.

Power isn’t just a consideration in data center development: it’s the deciding factor. This session will explore how the industry is addressing rising energy demand — from sourcing and reliability to sustainability and resilience — and what it means for data center development. Drawing on a new NAIOP Research Foundation study and real world experiences from leaders in real estate, engineering, energy strategy and utilities, the discussion will highlight innovative approaches that are redefining how data centers secure and manage energy whether through the grid, on-site generation or hybrid solutions.

Close the day with small-group discussions on the key challenges and opportunities shaping data center development. Participants will explore topics such as community engagement, infrastructure, water and cooling, labor, and supply chain considerations. Groups will share insights, identify emerging priorities and highlight strategies for tackling industry challenges, fostering a forward-looking conversation that informs future projects and helps set the agenda for ongoing exploration beyond today’s summit.