A 3D printed social housing development in Dubbo, Australia has been making significant progress. The project, which was announced this past summer, is spearheaded by the government of New South Wales and brings on local construction 3D printing company Contour3D, Crete-Tech Australia and Ash Group Holdings, an Aboriginal-owned organization specialized in sustainable housing.
According to a recent social media post by Ash Group Holdings, the trusses for the roof of a 3D printed duplex were installed last week. The beams were reportedly pre-assembled before being transported to the construction site in Dubbo and were lifted onto the concrete 3D printed structure using a crane. The group’s Aboriginal Sustainable Homes team has been “making sure each truss is aligned and securely fixed to the 3D printed frame” to ensure that the roof is ready for the next stage of construction.
The housing project itself was initiated to address a housing shortage in Dubbo, a small city not far from Sydney. The builds, to be offered as social housing through the Aboriginal Housing Office, will consist of a series of two-bedroom duplexes. The construction of the duplexes outer structure and walls is being carried out using Contour3D’s gantry-based construction 3D printer, which can print structures as large as 30 (l) x 15 (w) meters.
Manufacturing on Demand
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Construction 3D printing was chosen over more traditional construction methods for a number of reasons. For starters, printing concrete on-site can significantly speed up construction times. This specific project, which broke ground in late September, is expected to be completed in just 16 weeks, while conventional construction would take at least 40 weeks. Construction 3D printing also has the benefit of being more cost efficient, which makes it suitable for making affordable housing. In Dubbo, where the lack of social housing is urgent, the technology will therefore help to house people faster.
The Dubbo development wasn’t the only significant news from Sydney-based Contour3D in 2024, the construction 3D printing company also completed the construction of Australia’s first 3D printed one-bedroom home with a Full Occupation Certificate. This build, which stands in Gymea Bay, was printed in just 14 hours over two days, and measures 50 meters square.
Notably, the Australia project is one of a number of social housing developments that are turning to 3D printing. In Ireland, for instance, Harcourt Technologies Ltd. recently constructed Europe’s first social housing project compliant with ISO/ASTM 52939:2023 additive manufacturing standard. This project utilized COBOD 3D printing technology. In Austin, Texas, a development intended to house as many as 1,800 formerly homeless people is underway. This stunning initiative, called the Community First! Village, is currently leveraging ICON’s construction 3D printing technology to build 100 homes.
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Author: Tess Boissonneault
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