Panelist

Eric Law

Co-founder and CEO Urban Machine

Eric Law is the co-founder and CEO of Urban Machine. He earned his BS in Mechanical Engineering from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo and is currently combining his passion for sustainability and technology by building robots that reclaim wood from construction and demolition to be reused as premium lumber. Previously, Law built an industry-leading innovation team at Swinerton, and he led the Construction Product team for Bentley Systems after his company, EADOC, had been acquired. When escaping technology, Law heads to the mountains with his family to ski, mountain bike, and climb a rock or two.

Speaking at

Tue Oct 29 10:30 AM — 11:30 AM (GMT-05:00) Eastern Time Resorts World Las Vegas - Level 2, Jasmine CD

The Future Is Deconstruction: A 2050 Vision

Ms. Imani Hamilton, Ramboll

Eric Law, Urban Machine

Mrs. Katrine Oline Aavitsland Lund, Ramboll

Ms. Megan Stringer, Holmes

Category Sustainability

Type AIA LU Concurrent Session Open to All Attendees

Our bet: In 2050, deconstruction rather than demolition will be the default. This session will examine deconstruction from the perspective of experts in circular economy, design and engineering, and tools needed to support it. Ramboll, Holmes, and Urban Machine will explore the trends and drivers for deconstruction and reuse, from the perspectives of policy, reporting, decarbonization, resource and real estate scarcity, and taxes. The session will introduce how the wrecking-ball approach to demolition has prohibited the circular use of materials and represents incredible value leakage, including sending valuable materials to landfills. The session will include case studies from municipalities requiring deconstruction to ambitious projects propelled by goals of embodied carbon reduction or material reuse. The panel will outline project planning, design, engineering, and detailing strategies that can be applied by the attendees. The discussion will include technologies supporting deconstruction, showcasing how technology can facilitate sustainable solutions and inspire the adoption of circular practices in the built environment, including material passports, digital twins, and Urban Machines robot.