Africa's Largest 3D-Printed Affordable Housing Project
Swiss building materials company Holcim AG (HCMLY.PK, HCMLF.PK) announced Monday that its joint venture 14Trees in partnership with UK's CDC Group has developed Africa's largest 3D-printed affordable housing project in Kenya. The Mvule Gardens housing complex, building on Holcim's world-first 3D-printed school in Malawi, is a 52-house complex in Kenya. It is one of the largest 3D-printed affordable housing projects in the world. It is part of the Green Heart of Kenya regenerative ecosystem, a model for inclusive and climate-resilient cities. The project was made possible by Holcim's proprietary ink, TectorPrint, giving the walls structural function to bear the load of the building. The company expects this breakthrough will accelerate the scale-up of 3D printing for affordable housing. Jan Jenisch, CEO, Holcim, said, "With today's rapid urbanization, over three billion people are expected to need affordable housing by 2030. This issue is most acute in Africa, with countries like Kenya already facing an estimated shortage of two million houses. By deploying 3D printing, we can address this infrastructure gap at scale to increase living standards for all."
Tags : INTERNATIONAL urbanization Africa Building Materials Holcim Kenya 3D-Printed Affordable Housing Project Housing Complex TectorPrint