CHICAGO—The US Energy Information Administration recently released its Annual Energy Outlook 2012 report. There, on page 81, was the comment that the industrial property sector consumes a third of the nation's total delivered energy these days, and is anticipated to report the second-largest increase in total primary energy use between 2010 and 2035.

Mention the words "infrastructure in Texas" and what might come to mind are highways and roadways. There is good reason for this; a quick study of a Lone Star State roadway map shows that much of the state centers around Interstate and federal highways between the major cities as well as loops around these cities to avoid congestion.

HOUSTON—According to Marcus & Millichap Real Estate Investment Services' Hospitality Research Quarterly Update, the hotel sector continued benefiting from extraordinarily constrained supply and rising demand during Q2 2012. Interestingly enough, though occupancy was reported at 61% (versus 60% during the same period of 2011) and the ADR's annual change was 4.3% above where it was a year ago, demand growth was at 2% (versus 5% year-over-year) and revenue growth stood at 6.4%, down from 8.9% from the year before.

IRVING, TX—In conjunction with the recent RealShare Student Housing conference at the Four Seasons Spa and Resort here, industry experts stressed one point: Student housing continues to be a great sector in which to build, invest and own, as long as you know what you're doing.

Once upon a time, the demarcation line between Dallas' Uptown submarket and CBD was between Olive and Harwood streets, directly north of the Woodall Rodgers Freeway. The freeway, which is built on a diagonal from the northeast to the southeast, links US-75 on the east to Interstate 35 E on the west.

The Lone Star State has weathered the Great Recession and financial meltdown better than most others, and its job growth prospects are bright. As a result, Texas is at the top of many developers' and investors' wish lists. But then there are the state's commercial real estate stalwarts; the men and women who have been through the booms and busts of the Texas economy for the past several decades. These household names have all helped to shape the local commercial real estate market into what it is today.

Though there have been signs that the economy is slowly stumbling toward recovery, single-family housing demand and construction starts continue to struggle. Tight lending standards, combined with consumer skepticism toward the "American Dream" of homeownership, results in the obvious: Though development is increasing somewhat, we won't soon see a plethora of for-sale homes sprouting out of vacant lots as we did during the mid-2000s.

AUSTIN, TX—Mention the word "Texas" and what might come to mind are cowboys, wideopen spaces, dry heat...and oil derricks. Texas is known for bringing oil up from the ground—but experts point out that Texas also has a focus on sustainability initiatives and, to an extent, alternative fuels.