10/07/2023: Additive manufacturing company, Hive3D Builders, has developed a remarkable mixed on site carbon-neutral and stronger alternative to traditional cement. The printing material, which substitutes the mortar normally used in 3D concrete printing, is able to reduce construction’s CO2 emissions by 93%. Hive3D Builders is currently using this sustainable material to produce over 200 near-net-zero homes. This substance makes the already eco-friendly practice of additive manufacturing even more sustainable and is poised to revolutionize global construction.
Polluting Construction
The construction industry has long grappled with environmental challenges. Traditional concrete production contributes to 8% of global greenhouse gas emissions. 3D concrete printing technology generally has a lower carbon footprint than conventional building methods, mainly due to lower material usage, as well as a lower waste production rate. Along with the eco-friendly technology, additive manufacturing companies often strive to innovatively find sustainable solutions. An example of this is the manufacturer of Hive3D Builders’ printers, CyBe Construction. In the early days of 3D concrete printing, CyBe developed its own eco-friendly building material by using material that has up to 32% less CO2 emissions. Additionally, the material has the possibility to be produced locally.
Carbon-Neutral Material
Hive3D Builders (www.hive3dbuilders.com) take the production of eco-friendly building material one step further. By working with Eco Materials and Green Cement, they managed to develop a low-cost geopolymer cement replacement that has up to 93% less CO2 emissions. Due to geopolymer’s environmentally friendly properties, the substitute for the mortar that 3D concrete printing traditionally uses is almost completely carbon-neutral. Geopolymers have gained attention as a sustainable building material because they require less energy and produce fewer carbon dioxide emissions compared to traditional cement production. They can also utilize industrial waste materials such as fly ash, slag, and mining tailings, reducing the demand for natural resources and providing a solution for waste disposal. By combining this newfound material with the already eco-friendly properties of 3DCP, Hive3D Builders has unlocked tremendous potential for reducing carbon emissions in the building process. The current estimate is a reduction of 93% of the construction’s CO2 emissions. With this tremendous cut in greenhouse emissions, Hive3D Builders is at the forefront of sustainable construction technology.
Superior Strength
The implications of this innovation extend beyond its environmental benefits. Along with its reduction in CO2 emissions, the carbon-neutral material also offers superior strength and durability. This increased adhesion makes it an attractive alternative to traditional cement, offering immense potential for building more resilient structures. The strength of the material can be accredited to the geopolymer’s desirable properties. It is no wonder that geopolymers, oftentimes used as construction materials, were a key component in Hive3D Builders’ material. They exhibit advantages like excellent strength, high durability, and outstanding fire resistance.
Material Costs
3D concrete printing material generally has a significantly higher cost than regular concrete. This is because 3DCP does not use regular cement, but a mortar that dries notably quicker than regular concrete does. CyBe Mortar, for example, sets in three minutes and achieves structural strength in only one hour. This fast drying speed is needed because the bottom layers need to be strong enough to print the rest of the structure on. This special, fast-drying mortar, however, often comes at a higher cost than regular concrete does. Still, 3DCP is generally cheaper than regular construction. The technique has unique cost-saving properties due to a lower material need, as well as less necessary construction workers.
Hive3D Builders’ newly developed material, however, enjoys yet another advantage in this regard. Hive3D developed a unique system to automatically mix the cement replacement onsite with hyper-locally sourced aggregates to lower their material costs exponentially. By creating this system to automatically mix the cement replacement product onsite with locally sourced aggregates, the company is able to lower the cost of its printing mortar to a third of the price of other commercially available printing mortars. This low cost might pave the way for many hesitant construction companies to finally make the switch to 3DCP. The development of this new low-cost, carbon-neutral material is poised to shape the additive manufacturing industry.
Revolutionizing the Construction Industry
One of the main reasons that 3D concrete printing is not as common as you would expect it to be after hearing the advantages, is the fact that construction companies are often hesitant to change their way of working. The construction industry is booming, so big companies in the industry often don’t have the time or need to properly consider new building technologies like 3DCP. When they hear about the technique’s higher material price, they often lose interest, without taking into account the cost savings on other aspects. With Hive3D Builders adding a low material price to the material’s already impressive list of better sustainability and superior strength, the sustainable innovators might be able to convince headstrong construction giants to consider additive manufacturing as a cheaper, faster, and more sustainable alternative to their current construction methods. Using their partner CyBe Construction’s printer and Hive3D Builders’ carbon-neutral material, the company is set out to revolutionize the construction industry on a global scale.