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Member Highlight – Carol Browning

Name: Carol Browning
Title: Marketing Manager
Company: DC Building Group
# years in the industry: 16 years

Where are you originally from and how long have you lived in Las Vegas:
I am from South Bend, Indiana (yes, I am a huge Notre Dame fan!). I moved to Las Vegas in 2005. So, 18 years.

What has NAIOP provided you that has helped you grow professionally or personally?

Networking opportunities where I can connect with professionals in the industry. These opportunities are valuable in building relationships as well as gaining insight from peers. I would also say access to industry information. NAIOP provides information regularly to keep members informed about industry news and developments.

What has been your favorite experience or story that happened at NAIOP event?

There are lots of stories, but I would say dressing up for the 70’s NAIOP event in 2022 and winning first place for women’s best costume. Sorry Jen Levine!

Who have you met at a NAIOP event that has influenced you or that you have become close friends with?

Melissa Eure from GC Garcia. She has a wealth of knowledge and is very good at what she does. Recently I had the opportunity to speak to UNLV students during their real estate class with Melissa. I learned so much from her regarding entitlements.

On a personal note, I am passionate about Heaven Can Wait Animal Society and have been a supporter for many years. Come to find out Melissa is the President on the Board of Directors for the shelter. We are huge dog lovers!

What do you want your legacy to be in the Southern Nevada community?

That I made an impact in the Las Vegas community not only professionally but with charitable organizations. My passion is to help others in need and I do this by volunteering my time. It makes me feel good to know I can help make a difference.

 

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Nonfunctional turf deadline now just three years out

The deadline for commercial properties across Southern Nevada to upgrade their nonfunctional, decorative grass is creeping ever closer.

A state law passed in 2021 prohibits the use of Colorado River water to irrigate nonfunctional, decorative turf starting Jan. 1, 2027. Businesses, HOAs and other non-single-family properties across the valley have already taken a large step towards compliance with the law, having converted more than 10 million square feet of turf to drought-friendly landscaping in just the last two years alone.

There is still a substantial amount of turf that needs to be removed before that deadline arrives, and costs for plant materials and landscape installations could rise as conversion projects continue to ramp up over the next three years. Cash incentives provided through the Southern Nevada Water Authority’s Water Smart Landscapes (WSL) rebate program are available for such commercial conversion projects so act now.

Businesses are eligible for a cash rebate of $3 per square foot through the WSL rebate program. The program provides $3 per square foot for the first 10,000 square feet of converted turf, and $1.50 per square foot thereafter.

For Southern Nevada, grass irrigation remains the largest consumptive use of water from the Colorado River, which provides 90 percent of our water supplies. Despite last year’s great winter, the river will remain in a federally declared shortage condition in 2024.

Once fully implemented, the law will help Southern Nevada save 9.5 billion gallons of water annually. Additional information about both Nevada law and the SNWA’s Water Smart Landscapes rebate program is available at snwa.com.

State law prohibits the use of Colorado River water to irrigate decorative, nonfunctional turf on commercial properties across Southern Nevada starting Jan. 1, 2027.

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Members Only Education Workshop Recap – December 2023

Our last Members Only Workshop of the year was on 12/1/2023 at the Las Vegas Realtors sponsored by Commercial Alliance Las Vegas.  AI in Commercial Real Estate: Leveraging the Technology.  Speakers were:

Victory Igbinobaro
Co-Founder/CEO
AeroAI

Preston Martin
Project Manager – Land Acquisition
Lewis Operating Corporation

Timothy May
Principal
Insight Sciences Corporation

Moderated By: Chris Wiesen
President
BLT SMRT, LLC

Introduction:
As the year draws to a close, NAIOP’s education series culminated in a timely and thought-provoking panel discussion on artificial intelligence (AI) and its role in shaping the future of work. This final installment in the series underscored the growing relevance of AI in the industry, as evidenced by the high attendance and keen interest of the participants.

Panel Discussion Overview:
The panel explored a spectrum of AI-related topics, starting with an introductory overview of AI concepts. This laid the foundation for deeper discussions on accessing AI services, the fundamentals of AI implementation, and the considerations for developing custom AI tools.

Key Questions Addressed:
The panelists engaged in an interactive Q&A session, addressing pressing concerns such as:

  • Ethical and privacy considerations in AI deployment.
  • Strategies for staying abreast of emerging AI models and technologies.
  • Safeguarding proprietary information in an AI-driven landscape.

These questions highlighted the audience’s eagerness to understand AI’s implications in a broader context.

Main Takeaway:
A central theme emerged from the discussion: there exists a significant appetite for knowledge about AI’s capabilities and potential. Much like the underutilized potential of everyday tools like Google Search, the vast majority of people are yet to fully comprehend what AI can achieve. The consensus was that hands-on experimentation with AI tools is essential for understanding their possibilities and limitations.

Looking Ahead:
As AI technology continues to evolve, NAIOP is committed to keeping its members informed and at the forefront of technological advancements. We anticipate further engaging and informative discussions as we continue to explore the ever-changing landscape of AI.

Conclusion:
The panel not only provided valuable insights into AI but also sparked curiosity and a desire to learn more among the attendees. It marked a fitting end to this year’s education series, setting the stage for continued exploration and discussion in the realm of AI and its impact on our industry.

Click HERE for the PowerPoint from the program.

 

NAIOP Education Committee Member & Workshop Moderator:

Christopher Wiesen | President
BLT SMRT, LLC | BIM Solutions & Software
chris@bltsmrt.com | 702.744.7848
www.bltsmrt.com

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Clark County Vacant Land Auction 2024

Clark County vacant land auction January 29-31, 2024.

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2023 Bus Tour

NAIOP Southern Nevada held its 2023 “The Race for Space” Bus Tour at The Orleans Hotel & Casino on Wednesday, November 1, 2023.  The annual event offered an overview of Southern Nevada’s commercial real estate industry and local developments. Instead of touring attendees on buses, those participating in this year’s event were assigned to a virtual “bus” traveling through four sponsored zone rooms that included a video flyover highlighting new developments within specific segments of the market.

Event photos are here.
The Property Guidebook is here.
Flyover videos from each of the 4 tours here.

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2022 Bus Tour

NAIOP Southern Nevada held its 2023 “Once Upon a Time” Bus Tour at The Orleans Hotel & Casino on Thursday, November 10, 2022. The annual event offered an overview of Southern Nevada’s commercial real estate industry and local developments. Instead of touring attendees on buses, those participating in this year’s event were assigned to a virtual “bus” traveling through four sponsored zone rooms that included a video flyover highlighting new developments within specific segments of the market.

Event photos are here.
The Property Guidebook is here.
Flyover videos from each of the 4 tours here.

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Conservation continues to play important role in responding to shortage conditions

The Bureau of Reclamation (BOR) is projecting slightly improved conditions along the Colorado River, which will ease federally-declared water cuts for Southern Nevada next year. The BOR will move from a Tier 2 to a Tier 1 level water shortage beginning in January 2024.

Southern Nevada’s water supply will be reduced by 7 percent under the Tier 1 conditions. Under the current Tier 2 reductions for 2023, Nevada’s Colorado River water allocation was reduced by 8 percent.

While local water demands continue to be well below the shortage volumes, water conservation remains one of the most effective tools to protect the community’s water supply. The Southern Nevada Water Authority (SNWA) recently augmented two of its water conservation incentive programs to help the community save water.

The SNWA increased its incentives for Water Efficient Technologies (WET) projects to improve the efficiency of existing evaporative cooling systems. The incentive changes include removing the $500,000 annual cap for evaporative cooling system upgrades or replacements. The total WET incentive will continue to cover up to 50 percent of the total project cost.

To expand and diversify the community’s urban tree population and to help reduce the impacts of a warming climate, the SNWA added a cash incentive of $100 per new tree planted as part of a Water Smart Landscapes project.

The tree rebate is in addition to the $3 per square foot incentive for replacing grass with drip-irrigated landscapes. Residential, business, multifamily and HOA properties participating in the WSL rebate automatically will be considered for the tree incentive as part of the program enrollment (some restrictions apply).

For more information about the WSL and WET rebates, visit snwa.com.

For more information about how your business can be part of the conservation solution, visit snwa.com.

 

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Community Service Committee Update – October 2023

As the leaves begin to change colors and the air becomes crisp, we are excited to bring you our NAIOP Fall Newsletter filled with several exciting events and donation opportunities coming up this holiday season!

Throughout the month of October, our committee focused on gathering donations for the upcoming Helping Hands Food Drive. Helping Hands of Vegas Valley is a local non-profit whose mission is to improve the quality of life for senior citizens and their families. We’ve asked our members for new non-perishable, canned/dried goods, pastas, snacks, and paper items for donation. We collected a ton at our October Breakfast Program.  If you missed donating, the Amazon Wish List is still live: SCAN HERE TO ORDER TODAY!

The committee is gathering onsite at the Helping Hands Warehouse to help assemble emergency packages for their home bound seniors who are in need this month.

The committee will also be partnering with Communities in Schools for the annual Thanksgiving Family Meal Collection and delivery. The committee will be collecting food and monetary donations that will be used to provide families their Thanksgiving meals and stock their pantries for weeks to come. This is a really fun event for committee members and their companies who decorate each of the boxes and fill to the brim with nonperishable food and then meet at the Walter V. Long Elementary school with nearly 40 meals donated. Together, we are making the difference in the lives of those in need.

We love celebrating the achievements and contributions of our members!

The committee recently wrapped up yet another successful Back to School Drive for Hollingsworth Elementary. Amazing job to our entire community on yet another successful drive. The group collected over 150 backpacks and numerous supplies as well as $1,077 in monetary donations that will support the students of Hollingsworth Elementary for the 2023-2024 school year.

We would also like to thank everyone who participated in the Communities in Schools Scholarship Application Fundraiser and Knots Tied Down Donations, which aided in collecting donations for scholarship applications as well as gently used professional attire. Together, we were able to raise over $2,100 in donations for Communities in Schools that will assist graduating high school students offset the cost of college application fees, as well as heaps of gently used business attire for these students. In addition, the group collected 650 pieces of professional clothing for Knot Tied Down Donations. Your generous donations will aid students and teachers this school year and beyond!

Thank you for being a part of our community. We appreciate your continued support and look forward to sharing more exciting news and volunteer opportunities with you in the coming months.

Contact any committee member for more information about past or upcoming events and how you can take part in the committee.

Check out our recent events here.


Megan McInerney
Associate Vice President | Las Vegas – Office Division
Colliers International
(702) 836-3700 | megan.mcinerney@colliers.com

Lauren Willmore
Associate
CBRE | Industrial & Logistics
(702) 369-4825 | lauren.willmore@cbre.com

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