A deal worth £200,000 has been struck between advanced materials engineering group Versarien and national not-for-profit CIC, Building For Humanity, to build a village of new homes for veterans and low-income families in Lancashire using 3D printing technology.
The Forest of Dean-based group will act as a ‘print partner’ for the charity’s flagship project in Accrington, providing a full service from design to construction.
46 ‘high-quality, affordable’ homes will be developed in the project, set in five blocks alongside a community hub led by Building For Humanity for residents to access its range of supportive resources — the building of the hub and the first block will make up phase one of the project, set to commence imminently now that the contract has been signed.
3D construction printing (3DCP) involves using 3D printing methods including extrusion, powder bonding and additive welding to fabricate buildings or construction parts.
The method is hailed for being more environmentally-friendly than traditional building practices, as it produces less waste, while also allowing for design flexibility — if successful and properly invested in, the UK could see 3DCP being used more and more in the construction industry as a sustainable alternative that could alleviate the current housing crisis.
CEO of Versarien, Dr Stephen Hodge, said: ‘This initiative is the first 3D printing housing construction project in the UK and one ideally suited to the services we can provide.