Moore says among the key trends next year will be the greening of the industry as more developers adopt environmentally friendly building practices that will lead to a majority of LEED certified office projects. Development will also trend toward mixed-use projects combining residential, retail, office and hotel formats, many of them centered around transportation. Infill building and conversions will also rise and adaptive reuse will soar as development in many city cores continues to heat up.

Investment sales will continue to be robust throughout the country, Moore says, with international investors looking for more outlets for capital in the US investment market.

Demand for office space will match the strong levels seen in 2006 with financial institutions and the professional and business sectors leading the charge. Demand should be so strong, in fact, that rents could jump 12% to 15% in some central business districts, dragging up suburban rents as well by 5% to 7%, Moore says. In Midtown Manhattan, Chicago, San Francisco and Seattle rents are expected to be even more pronounced with increases that are twice the national average.