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From macro-economic forces to social, environmental, technological, and political disruption, property and the wider built environment are facing change on a scale not seen for decades, said panelists speaking at the 2018 ULI U.K. National Conference in London, including increased migration, ongoing low interest rates, and increased political discord.

Panelists speaking at the 2018 ULI U.K. Annual Conference said that disruptive change—ranging from the safe use of autonomous vehicles to greater energy efficiency districts to rethinking city governments outside London—requires public engagement, forethought, and transparency.

Jürgen Fenk, member of the Group Executive Board of SIGNA Group, has been named the new chair of ULI Europe. Fenk, who succeeds Jon Zehner, global head of the client capital group for LaSalle Investment Management, will serve on a voluntary basis for a two-year term. A member of ULI for over a decade, Fenk has just completed a four-year term as chair of ULI Germany, ULI’s second largest national council in Europe. He is also currently a Global Governing Trustee, a member of ULI Europe’s Executive Committee, and serves on ULI’s Global Board of Directors.

Prime logistics rents increased globally during the 12 months ended March 31, accelerating their growth in many markets due to strengthening economies around the world and greater demand for distribution of goods bought both online and in stores, according to a report from CBRE. Prime rrents increased by 3.2 percent across the globe in this year’s first quarter from a year earlier, exceeding the previous 12-month period’s 2.2 percent global increase.

A future-focused Urban Leader Summit discussion in Frankfurt in May on embracing new technology raised just as many questions as it answered. Panelists said the waves of change triggered by this digital shift are going to be felt for generations to come, as more and more jobs are capable of being done by machines.

The new members of ULI’s Americas Executive Committee are Clare De Briere, founder, C+C Ventures in Los Angeles and chairman of ULI Los Angeles; Sharmil Modi, principal, Modi Adventureprises, Boston; Daniel Neidich, chief executive officer, Dune Real Estate Partners LP, New York City; Leslie Woo, chief planning and development officer, Metrolinx, Toronto; and Jonathan Brinsden, chief executive officer, Midway Companies, Houston.

Nearly 7,000 of the world’s foremost leaders in the real estate and land use industry will convene at the 2018 ULI Fall Meeting, set for October 8–11 at the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center.

The growing popularity of building for health and wellness and the value derived from it are explored in a new ULI report, The Business Case for Healthy Buildings: Insights from Early Adopters. The report documents how real estate leaders worldwide are increasingly seeking to create environments that support healthy lifestyles in both workspaces and homes.

Hong Kong Central remained the most expensive office market in the world, according to CBRE’s annual Global Prime Office Occupancy Costsreport. Hong Kong Central’s overall prime occupancy costs of US$307 per square foot (US$3,305 per sq m) per year topped the “most expensive” list, followed by London’s West End, Beijing’s Finance Street, and Hong Kong’s Kowloon.

In 2017, ULI Foundation Governor Bruce Etkin pledged $100,000 to support four additional district council student scholarship programs, which began at ULI Colorado, supporting undergraduate and graduate students as they launch their careers in real estate and other land use professions. The funds for the expanded program will be competitively awarded over two years to district councils to support student memberships, networking and mentorship activities, and involvement with ULI at the local level.