Scandinavia 3D construction printing conference
Taking place on February 28th 2017, the conference was a complete sell out attracting 160 attendees from the building sector.
Experts from the 3D technology and construction industries have suggested Europe could steal a march on disrupting the building sector in the next five years by further embracing 3D printing methods.
Congregating at Scandinavia’s first 3D construction printing conference last month, leading personalities from both fields delivered their insights on 3D construction printing and the building sector.
Taking place on February 28th 2017, the conference was a complete sell out attracting 160 attendees from the building sector. At the conference, the experts explained how 3D construction printing technologies applied in more than 40 projects around the world. A repeated theme across conference was the notion that, within three to five years, 3D construction printing will disrupt the building sector. It was emphasised that most of the successful 3D construction printing projects to date had been realised outside of Europe and the US, namely countries such as China, UAE and Philippines. The general suggestion being that regulatory restrictions are more relaxed in these parts of the world.
Scandinavia 3D construction printing conference
Attendees studied a test concrete mini printer presented at the conference.
Enrico Dini, founder of D-Shape, presented his visions and work, which include the recent installation of the first 3D printed bridge in the world, just outside of Madrid. Dini underlined Dubai’s aim of 3D printing 25% of the city’s new architecture by 2030, and how the authorities were looking to adapt regulations in parallel to achieve this goal.
Professor Zoubeir Lafhaj, from Ecole Centralle de Lille University in France, pointed out that the construction sector had seen no gains in productivity over the last decade, and 3D construction printing represents the best opportunity for the building sector in Europe to catch up due to the high cost of European labour. NCC Construction’s Kaare Flindt Joergensen followed up by highlighting a major advantage of 3D printing, besides savings on labour, is the ability to reduce the entire building time for a project, as printers can work 24/7. It is this reason that Joergensen believes, regulations permitting, 3D construction printing will grow in the next few years.
“We need to attract more smart and creative people to the engineering filed of construction,” said Professor Lafhaj. “3D construction printing is one of the best ways as it brings technology and innovation to a very conservative sector.”
Scandinavia 3D construction printing conference
Kaare Flindt Joergensen from NCC COnstruction speaks at the Scandinavia's first 3D construction printing conference.
Joergensen added: “Within 3-5 years, we expect that 3D construction printing regularly will be used for single building components, but longer term entire buildings will be the aim, when regulations are adapted to make that possible.”
In the final panel debate, Henrik Lund-Nielsen, CEO of Larsen & Partners A/S, articulated that although Chinese company, Winsun had received the most press coverage in the area of 3D construction printing, Europe are catching up. With the wealth of resources being applied across the industry, in start-ups, educational institutes and already-established companies, Lund-Nielsen expects Europe will soon come to lead the way.
“Already now 60% of all 3D construction printing projects are occurring in Europe and the concepts found here are far more disruptive and represents a larger potential for labour and materials savings than the concepts and projects of the Chinese,” said Lund-Nielsen. “In Europe, due to weather conditions, integrated solutions for insulation and moisture management need to be included in 3D construction printing concepts. Such solutions are completely missing in the projects realised in Asia and this were the potential for serious cost reduction really is.”
Scandinavia’s first 3D construction printing conference was organised by 3D Printhuset, the region’s leading supplier of 3D technology. The conference was held in Copenhagen, Denmark, and featured five industry experts offering insights into the future of 3D construction printing.
Spanish 3D-printed bridge
The first 3D-printed bridge in Spain is just one of the construction projects 3D Printhuset was involved in last year
