I recently wrote about the technologies that are disrupters and in the early stages of development. One of the first that we will see in the construction industry is 3D printing.
Most forward thinking contractors and subs are becoming aware of this phrase while designers are incorporating 3D printing into their designs in other parts of the globe. We wrote about the 3D printed houses in China, but that is not the only place where the leadership intends to incorporate this disrupter into their way of life.
One key country that intends to embrace 3D printing is the UAE, specifically Dubai, and the leadership there is making a giant leap to incorporate the technology, as Inside 3D has reported, Sheikh Mohammed has announced the Dubai Future Agenda. The Agenda has one goal that states Dubai intends to have 25% of all buildings in the city built with 3D printers. In order to accomplish the goal, both the investment in the technology and the legislation to accommodate this new building technique will change.
According to Construction Dive on this new development, officials have stated that the development and construction of light manufacturing, humanitarian buildings, retail space, art galleries and homes will be all be 3D printed. Officials said 3D printing reduces construction time by 90%.
Sure, you might say they have the money to embrace this and other technologies and they do. However, every owner, contractor and sub in the US will be impacted by the 3D technology during the next decade. We should also quickly adopt BIM, as well as find a way to coordinate the various platforms for BIM so that we can make way for large-scale 3D printed structures.
More to come on the Disrupters.
