SAN FRANCISCO—Futurist Paul Saffo, chair of the future studies and forecasting track at Singularity University, closed the ULI Fall Meeting with insights on the exponential growth in technology, capping a week of discussions on how it is affecting all aspects of urban design and development. In the time it takes to construct a building, technology is created, becomes outdated and is repeatedly updated, which poses a daunting challenge for developers attempting to respond to current and even future market demands. Saffo's advice for land use professionals: when it comes to technology, don't try to be the change, rather, adapt to it.

"There are two types of technology—the technology that has not been introduced yet, and the technology that is obsolete," said Saffo. "I would avoid putting intelligence in buildings unless you can yank it out."

Saffo's comments set the stage for a discussion by Michael Covarrubias, chairman and chief executive officer of TMG Partners, and Daniel McQuade, chief executive of Tishman Construction Corporation with Patrick Phillips, ULI's global chief executive officer, as the moderator.

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Lisa Brown

Lisa Brown is an editor for the south and west regions of GlobeSt.com. She has 25-plus years of real estate experience, with a regional PR role at Grubb & Ellis and a national communications position at MMI. Brown also spent 10 years as executive director at NAIOP San Francisco Bay Area chapter, where she led the organization to achieving its first national award honors and recognition on Capitol Hill. She has written extensively on commercial real estate topics and edited numerous pieces on the subject.