South Africa has completed its first 3D-printed low-cost construction home. The 3D printing technique can build a house in less than 24 hours.
To help minimize the shortage of social housing in the country, the technology is anticipated to be included in South African building procedures. At the University of Johannesburg (UJ) Doornfontein Campus, a pilot project utilizing 3D building printing for sustainable human development was launched.
The project is financed by the Department of Science and Innovation (DSI) and is being carried out by the University of Johannesburg’s School of Civil Engineering and the Built Environment in collaboration with the Department of Human Settlements in KwaZulu-Natal and AfriSam.
A model of an RDP house was generated by the university’s R6 million 3D printing device in eight hours as opposed to the months it usually takes to build a house. 3D printing is currently seen as a quick and affordable option for building government-subsidized homes.
The 3D-printed home was built strictly following the best standards of thermodynamics, according to Professor Tshilidzi Marwala, the departing vice-chancellor and principal of UJ.
It is anticipated that the adoption of 3D printing will be one of a number of strategies required to alleviate the housing shortage in South Africa. More than 2.4 million houses are still unfinished in South Africa’s metropolitan areas, and many families are still housed in squalid conditions.
There are 2,600 informal settlements in South Africa, which may contain 1.4 million families, according to Stats SA.
Despite the fact that South Africa has the capacity to build more than 160,000 and 80,000 homes annually in the public and private sectors, respectively, the number of government-subsidized dwellings being built has been falling alarmingly since 2009.
Projects like the 3D-printed housing initiative, in Professor Marwala’s viewpoint, have the ability to address the inconsistencies between the “haves” and “have-nots,” which are a significant feature of South Africa’s terrain.
The home was made by utilizing 3D printing, which makes it more fire-resistant and tougher than conventional housing.
Professor Marwala also advised expanding the idea to address the housing shortage facing South African society. Better housing is provided as part of the project’s effort to reduce informal settlements.
Due to its emphasis on the modernisation of certain economic sectors, like agriculture, mining, and construction, the South African government has spearheaded several 3D printing efforts and proofs of concept.
According to Dr. Blade Nzimande, the minister of higher education, research, and innovation, the 3D construction printing initiative at UJ is a part of this strategy.
The state also places a high priority on leveraging science, technology, and innovation to solve problems that arise on a daily basis, such as how to provide high-quality housing.
The DSI appointed UJ’s Faculty of Civil Engineering and the Built Environment to carry out the research study on 3D construction printing technologies and pilot the technology in the building of dwellings as a result of the low-cost housing challenge.
The demonstration and construction of 10 dwellings in the Ethekwini Municipality will take place on serviced plots provided by the KZN Department of Human Settlements.
