Kenya to get 3D printed Houses

The town of Kilifi in Kenya is set to have the largest affordable housing complex in the world, thanks to 14Trees, the developer that recently completed the printing of the first ten houses in the Mvule Gardens 3D-printed housing project. This new technology has enabled the construction of sustainable and affordable homes, with the added benefit of no wasted materials in building the walls.

Locally sourced cement and natural hydraulic lime solutions were used, along with an innovative 3D printing ink called TectorPrint, which was designed specifically for complex residential buildings and infrastructure applications, to achieve high print speed capacity and pressure levels.

Mvule Gardens, the housing development, will comprise 52 homes that have a private backyard and a front porch, and are available in two or three-bedroom layouts. Using a single 3D printer, 14Trees can complete the printing of a two-bedroom house’s walls in 18 hours, while a three-bedroom house takes an additional 10 hours. The starting price for these 3D-printed homes is KES 3,610,000 (equivalent to approximately USD 28,000). This is a lower cost than the average 2-bedroom house in Kilifi, which costs KES 4,900,000 (USD 38,000).

14Trees is a joint venture between Holcim, a Swiss manufacturer of building materials, and British International Investment. The collaboration aims to introduce environmentally friendly building solutions in African countries that are facing deforestation due to the demand for wood used in traditional brick production

The worldwide shortage of housing, with demand exceeding supply, may affect around 1.6 billion people by 2025, creating a global housing crisis. The scarcity of affordable housing is particularly severe. This situation is exacerbated by the increasing demand for construction, which places additional stress on resources.

Construction companies are offering homes in a low-density gated community close to Kilifi Town, with options of one to three bedrooms. The houses have obtained an EDGE Advanced certification, indicating that the builders prioritized resource efficiency during construction. The 3D-printed houses in Mvule Gardens were designed to achieve energy-saving levels of 45% and water-saving levels of 27%. 14Trees, the developer, is using a 3D printer that can build structures over 10 meters long. According to one of the companies involved in the construction, TectorPrint, the 3D printing ink used for the project, is flexible and can adapt to a wide range of needs, allowing for the rapid construction of affordable and sustainable homes on a large scale

The developers of the world’s largest 3D-printed houses in Mvule Gardens used materials with lower embodied energy, reducing the overall environmental impact. The cost of construction for the project was between Ksh30,000 to Ksh31,000 per square meter, which is reasonable, according to Charles Hinga, the PS for housing. Hinga also noted that this project is in line with the Affordable Housing Programme (AHP) and is timely, given the global impact of climate change. These factors have contributed to the project receiving EDGE Advanced certification, indicating that it prioritized resource efficiency during construction.

After the successful completion of the first phase, the government is considering using 3D technology to construct affordable homes in various regions of the country.

Next (ED attaches Rs 252 crore worth 'Ambience Tower' in Delhi's Shalimar Bagh)

Kenya to get 3D printed Houses

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