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Singapore has announced that it is lifting a 2019 moratorium on the construction of new data centres, however government concerns about energy efficiency and consumption mean new facilities will need to meet rigorous standards.

In the short term, the number of new data centres will be very limited, with a maximum of three approvals in a new post-mortarium pilot phase, which begins in the second quarter of this year and which will last 12-18 months. The new data centres will also have a cap on their power use: all must be between 10MW and 30MW.

Jack Harkness, director, industrial & logistics, Asia at Savills, says: “The end of the moratorium and permission for new data centres is good news, as is the focus on sustainability, however with only three approvals in this pilot phase, competition will be fierce.”

The Singapore government imposed a moratorium on construction of new data centres in 2019, due to concerns about the amount of electricity they use. At present, the city-state has 70 data centres with aggregate capacity of 1000MW; the sector uses around 7% of Singapore’s electricity.

Ready or not, the metaverse is already a force to be reckoned with. This fast-evolving network of virtual spaces is not just defying physics – it’s set to redefine real estate as we know it.

The metaverse is a network of virtual spaces where people can socialise, play, work, and even own property. On this platform, billed as the next iteration of the internet, just about anything is possible – owning a Grand Slam tennis court in pixel form, becoming the virtual neighbour of millionaire celebrities, or acquiring a stake in a digital shopping mall selling high fashion.

But can virtual worlds generate tangible value for occupiers and investors? According to our experts, the answer is an emphatic yes.

• Two years since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, there is light at the end of the tunnel for the Asia Pacific hotel sector as more markets across the region ease border restrictions in an attempt to reboot business and leisure travel.

• CBRE expects improvements in visitor arrivals and room occupancy to begin to emerge in Q2 2022, with Southeast Asian leisure markets set to outperform as tourists seek out open-air environments.

• Other key trends anticipated to emerge this year include consumers gravitating to trusted hotel brands, taking longer trips and placing a stronger emphasis on hotel ESG performance.

• This year will also see a further improvement in hotel investment volume as newcomers and experienced investors seek greater exposure, with the weight of capital chasing Asia Pacific hotels now at an all-time high.

This report was originally published in https://apacresearch.cbre.com/en/research-and-reports/Asia-Pacific-Hotel-Market-Outlook_Trends-to-Watch-in-2022

The region’s equities continued to struggle for direction in February ahead of the looming Fed hike. However, Russia’s incursion into Ukraine put paid to investors expectations looking to buy the dip. The conflict and subsequent sanctions heightened selling pressure, as volatility rose across global capital markets. Energy prices and commodity prices surged amid concerns on the supply of Russian oil and gas as well as agricultural produce from the region. The likelihood of even higher inflation revived fear of a 70s-style stagflation, which will drag on the fragile recovery from the pandemic. Returns from Asia Pacific equities, as measured by MSCI, fell into the red as investors sold down riskier assets. Still, with inflation racing, bond markets ended little moved as investors remained braced for higher rates, given the Fed’s resolve to anchor inflationary expectations. However, the episode underscored the resilience of the region’s REITs, which managed to eke out a marginal gain as its defensive qualities shone.