A conference at the University of Windsor highlighted growing interest in 3D printed construction — a technology supporters say could help change the way homes are built, but one that has yet to see widespread adoption despite the benefits advocates point to. Researchers, engineers and builders gathered Tuesday to discuss the emerging technology, which uses robotic printers to layer concrete and form building structures. Advocates say the approach could reduce labour demands on construction sites while allowing for more flexibility in how buildings are designed. “With traditional construction, everything is done by manually by lots of people. But with 3D printing, you just need one or two people monitoring the robot,” said Sreekanta Das, associate dean for research and graduate studies at the University of Windsor’s Faculty of Engineering. “There is a lot of flexibility in terms of architectural benefit,” he explained. “You can print any shape, any thing.” Supporters also say 3D printed construction can build structures faster than traditional methods, while maintaining comparable costs. But experts say the slow pace of adoption has less to do with the technology itself and more to do with the systems surrounding construction. “Canada is a little bit slow to adopt,” said Leigh Newman, CEO of Aretech. “Regulatory is the biggest problem.” Newman’s company is currently serving as the contractor printing a three-storey student housing building at the University of Windsor, a project aimed at demonstrating how the technology can be used in real-world construction. Newman says the lack of established building codes and regulatory frameworks for 3D printed construction has made many builders hesitant to adopt the technology. He estimates it could take roughly a decade for governments to develop the standards needed for the technology to be widely used. “Part of the benefit we have in Canada, leading the way with this technology, is to really put Canada on the map for what can be done following regulatory compliance and code,” Newman said. Researchers say regulations are only one factor influencing how quickly new construction methods are adopted. The way cities approve housing developments — along with broader debates around density and growth — can also slow the pace of change. According to World Bank data, Canada ranks 34th out of 35 OECD countries for the time it takes to approve construction projects. Anneke Smit, associate professor and director of the Centre for Cities (C4C) at the University of Windsor, says addressing housing challenges will require changes in societal mindset, particularly when it comes to housing density and neighbourhood character. “Some of that is the market shift. Some of that is the developers, like the industry shifts. Political leadership matters a lot in that way,” Smit said. She adds that while change is likely to come, communities across Canada — including Windsor — are not currently moving fast enough to meet housing demand. “At some point, we have to get real about the [housing needs of] young people and the economic development piece of this that are absolutely necessary,” she said. Das agreed that culture plays a major role in why 3D printed construction has not yet been widely adopted. “This new technology is a disruptive technology. People don’t know where to start,” said Das. “The builders in these construction companies have been comfortable doing what they’re doing. They may not be comfortable taking to this new technology, because they have to learn how to use it.” Part of the next step is helping builders and engineers become more familiar with the technology, Das says. The University of Windsor is establishing a training lab for 3D printed construction, with three new machines planned — including two smaller lab-scale printers and a full-scale robotic arm printer expected to arrive later this year. The goal is to give students and industry professionals hands-on experience with the technology as the construction sector continues exploring how it could be used to build homes in the future, according to Das.
