3D: The future of construction in Nigeria?

Due to the Covid-19 pandemic and the greater demand for homes and the increased costs of construction materials over the past years, could this be the time for innovative builders in Nigeria to take the cue from their counterparts in the U.S. and other countries who have slowly begun to rely on 3D printing technology to produce a very defined and solid home with concrete?

The cost to create this type of construction is much less costly and only requires one person to be on-site to watch the process unfold and monitor the apparatus as it builds a foundation and walls.

The time it takes is considerably less and saves the builder a huge amount of time and labor costs. The downside is that it reduces the number of jobs that is needed to construct the home, but the upside is that more homes can be produced at a lower cost. On average it will take 4-6 months to build an average sized 3 bedroom bungalow.

However, with a commercial 3D printer doing the work, it can take as little as one day to build the structure and then when you have the contractors complete the doors, roof, windows etc. it can take as little as a few weeks to complete and finish the process.

This is a much more efficient and environmentally beneficial way to produce a home with much less concrete and materials used creating less waste. The accuracy and detail of being able to produce very complex designs and varied shapes and sizes far beyond what a human could do, enables the builder to be much more creative.

Dubai has set its sights on having 25 percent of its buildings to be constructed with 3D printings by 2030 with Apis Cor, a Russian company, using 3D printing technology to construct an Administrative building in Dubai.

Even with the searing heat experienced in that area, the 3D printer was successful and passed all tests of speed and durability.

In July 2018 in Nantes, France a family moved into their newly constructed 4BR home, the first-ever 3D printed home for 170,000 Francs=$182.292.57 in 2021 dollars.

The cost at that time was 20 percent less than a stick-built home.

This is a “no brainer” for Lagos State and the country currently suffering a house deficit of over 17 million homes. 3D printed homes has the potential to assist in solving the housing crisis, whether it be for single, multi-family or government-sponsored projects at a much-reduced cost than conventional methods.

At the same time, the current insanely and ridiculously high cost of building materials would be reduced by the decrease in demand and usage due to the use of 3D printing usage of cement, lowering those costs too.

Lowering the costs of future housing will maximize and increase the insufficient availability of moderately priced homes and enable more families and individuals to own their own homes thereby building their own personal future wealth and security.