Dubai to 3D print villas

February 23, 2018

A new housing programme in the UAE is set to harness the potential of 3D printing technology.

Engineer Hussain Nasser Lootah, the Director-General of the Dubai municipality, has told a newspaper that Dubai will construct its first 3D-printed villa within just two months, according to the Khaleej Times.

A new government housing programme is set to utilise the technology for a new housing programme, which would significantly shake up the construction industry. 3D printing would offer a reduction in construction costs and shortened delivery timeframes.

Dubai’s 3D Printing Strategy forecasts that by 2030, a quarter of all building in the Emirate will be 3D printed. Lootah stated that the municipality has already procured all necessary tools and equipment to print the villa.

“3D printing is a disruptive technology, one that promises to upend the entire real estate industry,” Sameer Lakhani, managing director of Global Capital Partners, said.“Currently, the process is still more expensive than conventional building methods; moreover, it is in its embryonic stages, being able to accommodate only rudimentary designs. However, within a 10 to 15-year time frame, it appears likely that this form of ‘printing’ will start to replace existing methods of construction.”

In February last year, Cazza, a Dubai-based startup, announced plans to build the world’s first 3D printed skyscraper.