Direct commercial real estate deals globally will more than double by 2030 from the 2012 rate as investors shift more funds into commercial real estate, particularly in the Asia-Pacific region, according to an international property firm.

The global direct commercial real estate investment market may exceed US$1 trillion per annum by 2030, up from nearly US$450 billion last year, according to Jones Lang LaSalle.

"Capital growth ambitions that dictated many investment decisions before the financial crisis have given way to a global hunt for secure income streams in a low interest-rate environment," said Colin Dyer, president and CEO of the company. Despite the financial shocks in recent years, "real estate nevertheless is emerging as a preferred option for many investors," he added.

Asia-Pacific has outpaced other regions in real estate activity since the global financial crisis. Its commercial real estate investment volume in 2012 was equal to 77 percent of the previous peak in 2007, according to the company.