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From AI-driven innovations in design and construction to strategies for leveraging technology to drive venture capital success, the real estate development field is rapidly evolving. Auburn University鈥檚 upcoming CityBuilders symposium and networking event will equip industry professionals with the knowledge and skills to navigate these changes.

Hosted by Auburn鈥檚, the will be held Sept. 11 (afternoon) through Sept. 12 (morning) at the Auburn Marriott Opelika Resort & Spa at Grand National.

The includes speakers from the hospitality, construction, project design, residential, government and defense sectors of the real estate development industry.

Take data centers, for example

The annual CityBuilders symposium and networking event allows the industry to convene, share and discuss specific areas and topics rapidly transforming real estate. Participants discuss new practices and technologies, but they also get a glimpse into future developments and customer needs. 

鈥淥ur symposium has always been unique in that we bring developers, property owners, service providers and users of the space together to discuss the challenges and opportunities,鈥� said Greg Winchester, CEO of Summit Investors and the founder of the Winchester Institute. 鈥淥ur hope is that the industry and students can use the symposium as a place to learn, network and advance the industry.鈥�

This year鈥檚 theme examining the impact of fast-evolving technology on real estate development is deserving of the attention, he said.

鈥淚t鈥檚 interesting to notice that certain professionals, such as architects and contractors, are rapidly adapting to the changes from AI and technology. Property developers, investors and property management firms are gaining momentum in utilizing these technologies to service their clients and to gain a competitive edge,鈥� Winchester said. 

鈥淭he long-term impact of technology on real estate is easy to underestimate,鈥� he added. 鈥淔or example, the explosion in data centers in recent years due to the AI and tech industry has been profound and arguably has exceeded many expectations from a decade ago.鈥�

The upcoming symposium will be important and worthwhile for professionals to attend, he said.

鈥淩eal estate development is a risky, demanding and highly competitive business. Oftentimes developers cannot find the time or a place to focus both broadly and in-depth on technologies which will impact the quality of their projects,鈥� Winchester said. 鈥淭he Symposium will be an excellent forum for professionals to learn about other practices and technologies which they immediately utilize to improve their businesses. 

鈥淭hey will be able to better plan for future technological change. In addition to the panel discussions, we expect the networking at the event to accelerate change as attendees share with each other.鈥�

More roles are being influenced

Technology is affecting the real estate development field in a wide variety of ways, as was evident in panel discussions in January at  that focused on trends and 2025 expectations.

For example, one answer to the labor shortage, which is a growing issue in the construction and hospitality sectors, is technology and management of it, experts said. Such challenges 鈥� and answers to them 鈥� affect investor decisions on new real estate development ideas.

鈥淭he only thing we can look at to help mitigate that (labor) issue is technology,鈥� said Amanda Chivers, managing principal of Atlanta-based Crown Hospitality Consulting. The industry is 鈥渓ooking at tech for jobs that people don鈥檛 necessarily want to do.... You might start seeing it at your hotel, when a robot might come to your room to drop off a towel, or something like that.鈥�

AI is making headway in providing real estate professionals greater insight into customer trends, their buying ability, and enhancing remote work, the panelists said.

Presentations also are easier and timelier with technology improvements, such as feeding data into an app or with AI that can 鈥渁lmost instantly produce a presentation that previously would have taken four analysts.鈥�

Winchester Institute鈥檚 continuing mission

An event focusing on real-need challenges to find real-need solutions and awareness is exactly what the Winchester Institute is created to do, its founder said.

鈥淲e are excited to see Institute leadership enhance and expand its offering for industry and alumni engagement events. This will be the sixth year of the symposium, and it has grown in both content and attendance every year,鈥� Winchester said. 鈥淭his will be our first symposium in Auburn and it鈥檚 our hope that we can expand the symposium to an annual attendance of around 1,000, which will draw attendees both regionally and nationally.鈥�

Auburn can become a regional powerhouse in terms of bringing together the university and industry to advance real estate development in the country, he said. 

鈥淲ith the support of both the 91看片 and the College of Architecture, Design and Construction, Auburn has a tremendous advantage in pulling together all the disciplines necessary for positioning current and future professionals to create smart communities which benefit all,鈥� he said. 鈥淎s a major land grant University, Auburn is uniquely positioned to become a leader nationally in real estate development.鈥�

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