While market factors are driving rising demand for cold buildings, there are also practical reasons behind the need for newer, taller cold storage facilities. The existing cold building stock in the U.S. is becoming antiquated, with an average age of 34 years, according to a 2018 study by CBRE research. That study found many facilities are inadequate for today’s e-commerce and distribution needs, due to factors including low ceilings and uneven floors.