Louth County Council has announced plans for the first housing scheme to be printed using 3D construction technology.
The Grange Close pilot project is a collaboration between Louth County Council, Louth & Meath Education & Training Board (LMETB), Irish-owned company Harcourt Technologies Ltd (HTL.tech), and Roadstone Ltd, a CRH company, using 3D construction (3DCP) technology with the aim of providing a pathway towards an increased output of more sustainable, affordable, and efficient housing.
The project aims to utilise 3D construction printing technology to provide three three-bedroom terraced units that will have a floor area of c. 110 m² over two floors at Grange Close in Dundalk.
3DCP is a method of construction that involves using large-scale 3D printers on-site to create three-dimensional structures layer by layer.
In this process, layers of Ready-Mix Concrete (RMC) are sequentially deposited through a gantry-based 3DCP machine according to a digital model.
The result is the creation of the housing superstructure at a rate which is up to three times faster than is possible through traditional methods.
“The provision of high quality and sustainable social housing is a core objective of Louth County Council, and this project is a significant example of the use of innovative technologies and organisational collaboration in the delivery of new homes” said Joan Martin, Chief Executive at Louth County Council.
"Co. Louth is at the forefront of innovative technology aimed at offering a solution to Ireland's housing shortage, and having grown up in the region, I am immensely proud” said Justin Kinsella, MD and co-founder of HTL.tech.
“Integrating new technology and traditional building materials offers a new era of efficiency and carbon reduction - working towards a sustainable future” said Patrick Diviney, Roadstone, Commercial Manager.
