Commercial real-estate sales surge in the third quarter, blockchain-integrated real estate is poised to span into new sectors, a major home builder is teaming with a Texas startup to create a community of 100 3-D printed homes, and more.
- In the not-too-distant future, it is predicted blockchain-integrated real estate will be implemented in sectors beyond payments via digital currency, spanning to automated transactions, smart contracts, and more. (Adam Redolfi, Forbes)
- Despite warnings that the COVID-19 pandemic would erode property values, purchases of apartment buildings, life-science labs and industrial properties resulted in commercial sales of more than $193 billion in the quarter, up 19% compared with the same three months in 2019. (Peter Grant, The Wall Street Journal)
- Though the industry has experimented with 3-D printing for years, construction technology startup Icon is teaming up with Lennar, a homebuilding firm, to create a community of 100 3-D printed homes near Austin, which would be the biggest development of this type of housing in the U.S.. (Nicole Friedman, The Wall Street Journal)
- Canada explores the use of mass timber to replace structural steel girders as a method of facilitating sustainable building practices and bolstering the country’s number of certified LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) buildings. (Paul Brent, The Globe and Mail)
- Construction technology firms have received significant funding recently, including one notable startup, Bridgit, which raised CA$ 24 million in a Series B funding round co-led by Camber Creek and Storm Ventures. (Sebastian Obando, Construction Dive)