Apartments continue to provide risk-adjusted returns, despite the market dislocation, particularly in emerging markets.

The majority of current cold storage stock is outdated and would be difficult to retrofit up to new standards, says Bridge Development's Brian Niven.

"Our vision is to bring advanced technology to the warehouse industry so we can reinvent the business, similar to what Airbnb created in one of the world's largest marketplaces for unique, authentic places to stay," Warehouse Exchange CEO Grant Langston said.