Housing Minister Darragh O’Brien is looking at the groundbreaking use of 3D printing to build homes in the UK as a way of building quicker, cheaper and more efficient homes for the Irish market.
An Irish company is at the vanguard of delivering the UK’s first major 3D printed housing development and Mr O’Brien is understood to be watching the project with a keen interest.
Harcourt Technologies (HTL.tech) is behind the project that will see 46 ‘eco-homes,’ a mix of houses and apartments, built using the cutting edge 3D printing methods at a site in Lancashire.
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A source close to Mr O’Brien told the Irish Mirror that the minister is interested in the technology, alongside other new Modern Methods of Construction, known in the industry as MMCs.
These include extremely comfortable complete prefabricated offsite homes, which are then assembled onsite,
Mr O’Brien has also visited factories where he has seen manufacturing of the cast concrete and panelised timber frames that are then dropped at housing sites.
Mr O’Brien told the Mirror: “These modern methods of construction are becoming more prevalent in Ireland and we need to continue to innovate and evolve where we can.”
When asked if 3D printed homes and the emerging project in the UK are something the Housing Minister is also interested in, a senior source said: “Absolutely, we are looking at it with great interest.
“We know there is an Irish company involved with the major innovative project in the UK and the US also has projects at advanced stages that have, we believe, Irish builders involved in them.”
However, she also added that it is not something the minister will be available to deliver in the immediate short term.
Mr O’Brien said: “In Housing for All we committed to working with the industry to strengthen the residential construction supply chain and to introduce modern methods of construction.
“I’ve been on a number of sites across Ireland where homes have been constructed off-site and then assembled on-site.
“Likewise I’ve been to some of the factories which are manufacturing the cast concrete and panelised timber frame which is then brought to sites for assembly.
“These modern methods of construction are becoming more prevalent in Ireland and we need to continue to innovate and evolve where we can.
“Efficiency, sustainability and cost effectiveness are to the fore when we consider any new modern method of construction and both I and my Department are watching other countries and how there are innovating and evolving in residential construction with interest.”
A spokesman for the department added: “All Modern Methods of Construction systems must be of a high quality, comply with all requirements of the Building Regulations and have a 60 year durability.
“In order to demonstrate compliance with the Irish building regulations innovative systems must have third party certification such as Agrément certification or its equivalent.
“3D printing is an emerging technology and it is expected that the existing more established MMC (Modern Methods of Construction) methods available to the market such as off-site construction and on-site assembly will be provided by industry.”
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