AZRE Forum spotlight: Michelle De Blasi, Law Office of Michelle De Blasi

AZRE magazine will host the annual AZRE Forum on April 16 at The Camby Hotel Phoenix Biltmore for a lively discussion with Arizona’s top minds — including renowned environmental attorney Michelle De Blasi — about the critical infrastructure issues facing the state. To get tickets or to learn more, click here. 

“Our panels of experts represent some of the brightest minds in the industry whose insights will leave you better informed about the most pressing issues in commercial real estate today,” says Amy Lindsey, vice president and publisher of AZ Big Media, which produces AZRE magazine.

Leading up to the 2026 AZRE Forum, we will profile of each of the speakers. Today, meet moderator Michelle De Blasi, founder and senior counsel at the Law Office of Michelle De Blasi and executive director of the Arizona Energy Consortium.

Michelle De Blasi 

Founder and senior counsel, Law Office of Michelle De Blasi and executive director of the Arizona Energy Consortium 

Background: De Blasi is a prominent environmental and energy attorney who has decades of experience and relationships assisting clients obtain successful results with their environmental, natural resource and energy projects. De Blasi focuses on business strategy by helping clients in a broad array of industries complete their projects from start to finish, overseeing all aspects of permitting, while assessing business risks and hitting milestones on time and on budget. On the state and federal environmental regulatory levels, clients consistently rely on her knowledge of hazardous waste, air quality, water quality, environmental health and safety, real property due diligence, utility regulation, rail siting and access agreements, natural resource damage issues, land conservation, asbestos and underground storage tank regulation.  

Importance of AZRE Forum: “The AZRE Forum is an important event as Arizona’s energy and water challenges are being reshaped by rapid economic and population growth, particularly from high-tech industries such as semiconductors, advanced manufacturing and data centers. These sectors are major drivers of investment and job creation, but they also place significant demands on infrastructure, power and long-term water planning. Meeting those demands requires coordinated planning across industries that collectively shape Arizona’s future.

“As Arizona continues to attract new residents and major employers, collaboration is essential to keeping growth aligned with available resources and infrastructure. Real estate developers, utilities, government leaders and business executives must understand how growth in one sector affects the others. The AZRE Forum provides a platform to align expectations around energy resilience, water sustainability and infrastructure investment so growth can occur in a way that is both competitive and responsible. 

“Events like these help translate policy and regulatory frameworks into practical strategies. When industry leaders can openly discuss challenges, share data and highlight innovation, it leads to more strategic planning and fewer unintended consequences. The AZRE Forum provides an opportunity to identify challenges, while also building the relationships and shared understanding needed to support Arizona’s expanding economy, growing population and evolving resource needs.”  

Trend to watch: “The growing emphasis on developing powered land — parcels that are fully prepared with electricity, water, fiber and other essential infrastructure before they hit the market. As Arizona continues to attract high-tech industries such as data centers, advanced manufacturing and distribution hubs, the ability to move quickly from land acquisition to operational facility has become a major competitive advantage. Developers and investors are increasingly valuing sites that are plug and play, where energy, water and connectivity are already secured and ready to support intensive industrial or commercial uses. 

“Powered land reduces construction timelines, lowers risk and provides certainty for tenants who cannot afford delays in critical operations, as well as allowing communities and municipalities to plan infrastructure more efficiently. As demand for these ready-to-use sites grows, developers who invest in prepped parcels are better positioned to attract major companies seeking rapid deployment and operational reliability. 

“This trend reflects a broader shift in commercial development toward efficiency, predictability and strategic preparation. Powered land is about more than just making a property build-ready, it is about anticipating the needs of industries driving Arizona’s economic growth and ensuring that the state’s infrastructure can support expansion in a smart and coordinated way.”