FIND A CONTRACTOR BUYER'S GUIDE
BECOME AN INDUSTRY PARTNER
MCAA Logo
MEMBER LOGIN JOIN
NEWS
World of Concrete 2026 Registration Is Open ↗

D.C.’s first brick-laying robot in action

Words: Emily AloizThe construction of a new high school at The Lab School may look pretty typical – until you meet the most unique worker on the site.

SAM100, which stands for semi-automated mason, is increasing productivity for Clark Construction Group LLC as the world's first commercially available robot used for on-site brick placement. Clark began work in November 2014 on a 29,000-square-foot high school in the Palisades neighborhood for The Lab School, and was joined by SAM about a week ago.

Construction Robotics, based out of Victor, New York, began developing technology for its patented robot about eight years ago. This is the first time SAM has worked in D.C.



Scott Peters, a co-founder of Construction Robotics, said a mason working with SAM can lay two to four times the amount of brick than they could working alone.

Is this another robot taking away manual labor jobs? Peters and Clark Construction officials said that's not the case.

"There's a mason who works alongside SAM, and there are laborers who support SAM," Peters says. "We don't see SAM as taking jobs away but helping the industry grow and be more successful and more profitable. In the same way that other large construction equipment has come into play."

Clark Superintendent Monique Holley, who works on The Lab School site, says SAM has increased morale. Clark expects to complete construction in the first quarter of 2016.

As students return to the school next week, Holley hopes to give tours to some students who want to see how SAM operates.

The Lab School is attempting to raise $10 million to finance the anticipated $26.6 million cost of improving facilities on campus. The high school alone is projected to cost $16.6 million, according to The Lab School.
 0
iQ Power Tools Joins as a Platinum Partner in the 2026 Masonry Alliance Program
November 2025

The Mason Contractors Association of America (MCAA) is excited to announce that iQ Power Tools has joined the 2026 Masonry Alliance Program (MAP) at the Platinum Level.

Industry News
Read More
Bonding with Masonry 2025: Q4
November 2025

This issue’s questions come from an Architect and an Engineer. What questions do you have? Send them to info@masonrymagazine.com, attention Technical Talk.

David Biggs
Bonding with Masonry
Read More
Hultafors Group Continues Gold Partnership in the 2026 Masonry Alliance Program
November 2025

The Mason Contractors Association of America (MCAA) is pleased to announce that Hultafors Group will continue its Gold partnership in the 2026 Masonry Alliance Program.

Industry News
Read More
Are you in the Insulated Concrete Block business? Then FTC Rule 460 applies to you…
November 2025

If you supply, sell, or use any of these… Pre-insulated concrete block... Loose-Fill Insulation... Injectable Foam-in-Place Insulation... Foam Plastic Inserts... Then you must abide by FTC Rule 460, 16 CFR 460, which governs R-value testing and claims

Bob Sullivan Richard Porter
Technical Talks
Read More