Occupiers and landlords alike are pushing for sustainability in the industrial space, with the issue "climbing the corporate agenda" for many companies, according to Mehtab Randhawa, director of Industrial Research at JLL.

In a recent JLL podcast episode Randhawa noted that the push for sustainability in the sector has grown exponentially as of late, with many companies setting in the neighborhood of 20 to 30 sustainability goals at a time.  And with that, he said, "there will be a heavier conversation on this in the coming next five years."

Sustainability is a far-reaching issue for industrial and includes factors like net zero overall carbon emissions and green and energy-efficient buildings to things like paper and packaging, customer delivery mechanisms, and renewable sources recycling. All of these factors, Randhawa says, are "agenda topics" on the occupier side. Employers are also increasingly prioritizing employee health with an emphasis on improved air quality, air conditioning and ventilation systems in warehouses—all areas of focus that help companies take a more "human-centric approach" than in years past.