After nearly a five-year hiatus, self-storage development and construction is once again ramping up, with new projects slated across the nation this year. Self-storage owners, investors and developers who are interested in ground-up construction, converting a vacant building or adding to an existing facility will find information at this year’s Inside Self-Storage World Expo, March 30-April 2 in Las Vegas.

The six sessions that comprise the show’s Development & Construction Track on March 31 will cover topics designed to help industry professionals develop, build or convert facilities. The first seminar, at 9 a.m., focuses on building a profitable property. James Bratton, president of MST Constructors/Akamai Real Estate Investments, will show owners and investors how to evaluate a potential site, determine facility size and unit mix, and more.

Jamie Lindau, national sales manager for Trachte Building Systems, will offer information on site selection in the 10 a.m. seminar. The session will highlight how zoning, demand, traffic, topography and population demographics come into play when selecting a site on which to build. It will also include examples of projects  built to maximize revenue when land was expensive and scarce, and how to overcome common development hurdles.

The 11 a.m. seminar, “Creative Design Techniques for Self-Storage,” focuses on how today’s generation of facilities are designed for better customer service and present a more functional, architecturally refined community image. Bruce Jordan, president of Jordan Architects Inc., will discuss exterior architecture and design, multi-story design techniques, and landscape design.

Those looking to refurbish an existing facility will learn how to build value into their property in a 1 p.m. seminar led by Rick Dodge, vice president of Paramount Metal Systems. The session will focus on the renovation process, drawing on a case study of a 40-year-old facility and examples from other projects to demonstrate the whys, hows and benefits. Attendees will learn what they can expect from the process and how it will affect their property value.

At 2 p.m., Daryl Henline, general manager, and Jeff Wright, owner, of Bridge Storage and ArtSpace will share how they converted part of their facility in Richmond, Calif., into art and music studios. The presenters will discuss how the mixed-use project came about, zoning, costs, revenue outcomes and more.

The final seminar of the day, at 3 p.m., will guide those interested in adding solar carports to their facility. Using Oakley Executive RV & Boat Storage in the San Francisco Bay Area as a case study, presenters Bob Hayworth, president of Baja Construction Co. Inc., and Robin Heuer, partner and chief operating officer of Elevated Solar, will provide the proof of concept for a facility that produces solar power and business income. They’ll share details about the project and how attendees might apply them to their own property.

The expo’s concurrent education program, March 31 and April 1, includes nine tracks covering issues related to self-storage ownership, management, marketing, investment, finance, building, development, liability and more. Five add-on workshop options are also available, focusing on day-to-day management, development, facility ownership, legal issues and social media.

The conference and tradeshow will take place at the Paris Hotel & Resort. Discount registration rates are available through March 28.

Created for self-storage owners, managers, developers, investors and suppliers, the ISS Expo is the industry’s largest conference and tradeshow, comprising four days of education, exhibits and networking opportunities. The event focuses on strategies for generating revenue, best practices, current trends, and new products and services. Details and online registration are available at www.insideselfstorageworldexpo.com.