Construction

Are we buying greenwashing in the name of sustainable architecture? © thetimes Sustainability is the most trending buzzword in the AEC industry. And, why shouldn’t it be? Having an environment-conscious approach to building design and construction is essential for the survival of mankind. Therefore, using eco-friendly products, natural resources, and locally available materials has become prominent in contemporary architecture. Leading global organizations and sustainability councils such as the U.N. and LEED have published guidelines for promoting sustainable architectural practices across the globe. © Courtesy Stefano Boeri However, the authenticity of this “green awakening” is often considered questionable. A recent report...

Peri and Strabag create Austria’s first 3D-printed building Images courtesy of Peri German construction manufacturer Peri and Austrian contractor Strabag have created Europe’s largest 3D-printed office space and Austria’s first 3D-printed building. The 125 sq m building was printed in 45 hours at Strabag’s asphalt mixing plant in the northern Austrian own of Hausleiten using a dry mortar supplied by Lafarge applied by a Bod2 printer made by Danish firm Cobod. Berthold Kren, Lafarge Austria’s chief executive, said: “Printed buildings will help to establish a new, digitally and environmentally advanced language for concrete. “The intelligent material is convincing in its...

Borneo gets first 3D printed house Image courtesy of SCIB A 1000-sq-ft house has been 3D printed over 46 hours in Malaysia on Borneo island. The first 3D printed house on the island was printed with a BOD2 construction printer made by Denmark’s COBOD International. Local precast specialist Sarawak Consolidated Industries Berhad (SCIB) carried out the work. The demo house is located on a site of the Malaysian Construction Industry Development Board and has a total printed area of 9km extruded in 145 layers, each 2cm thick. Image courtesy of SCIB Its exterior will be plastered to make it easier...

University of Virginia 3D-prints living soil walls that sprout greenery University of Virginia researchers have invented a method of 3D printing with seed-impregnated soil, which could be used to create walls and roofs teeming with plant life. Prototypes built by the researchers start off looking like ordinary raw-earth structures. But over the course of a few days, they sprout and become covered in greenery, leading the University of Virginia (UVA) to compare them to "oversized Chia Pets". Building elements such as green walls and roofs could be constructed using this method, bringing benefits like natural insulation, flood prevention and green...

Hannah begins construction on "first multi-storey 3D-printed house in the US" Ithaca, New York-based design studio Hannah has begun work on Cores, a building in Houston that it says will be the first multi-storey 3D-printed structure to be completed in the United States. The hybrid structure is being constructed from 3D-printed concrete combined with wood framing and was designed as a multi-storey single-family home. Hanah has designed a multi-storey 3D-printed home in Houston With 4,000 square feet (371 square metres) of living space, the home is meant to be scalable and compatible with typical timber-frame constructions. "The project showcases the...