Lafarge Cement Zimbabwe，，，，a subsidiary of building materials specialistLafargeholcim，将使用公司的混凝土3D打印技术在津巴布韦建造负担得起的低碳房屋。
该项目aims to address Zimbabwe’s chronic shortage of housing and school infrastructure, with construction expected to begin later this year.
“To showcase the capabilities of 3D printing, Lafarge Cement Zimbabwe will construct 10 units in Knockmalloch under the affordable housing project currently underway,” the company告诉先驱报。
“该项目将提供相关的利益相关者见证和体验这项创新技术的能力，预计这将吸引更多的项目来利用该技术提供体面的负担得起的住房。”
Meeting Africa’s affordable housing demand
该项目期间将使用混凝土3D打印技术Lafarge水泥津巴布韦将使用14Trees，，，，a subsidiary of LafargeHolcim and joint venture withCDC组，英国的公共影响力投资者。
使用Lafargeholcim的专有墨水，预计3D打印技术将大大减少建造房屋和学校的时间和成本。该项目initially began in Malawi，，，，where the first prototype house was built. The walls of the house were printed in just 12 hours, while the first prototype school was printed in 18 hours.
据报道，除了加快新建筑物的建设外，14trees的3D打印技术还通过优化材料的使用来减少建造新房屋的碳足迹多达70％。
“I am very excited about the work of our joint venture 14Trees, innovating in 3D printing technology to accelerate affordable and sustainable building, from homes to schools,” said Miljan Gutovic, Region Head Middle East Africa and LafargeHolcim Executive Committee member, in December when the project was first announced. “This is a great example of our commitment to build for people and the planet.”
The technology was initially deployed in Malawi during the first phase of the project before being rolled out to Kenya and Zimbabwe. LafargeHolcim recently opened a new $2.8 million dry mortar plant in Zimbabwe that will produce the 3D printable ink required for local construction projects.
Lafargeholcim的3D打印技术
Lafargeholcim’s concrete 3D printing process used in the project consists of a 3D printer with a robotic mechanical arm that deposits the proprietary ink into patterned layers that eventually make up the walls of a building.
该公司的技术和专有建筑材料也参与了其他几个3D打印建筑项目。
例如，在过去的几年中，该公司一直在与GE可再生能源与丹麦3D印刷建筑公司cobodto develop3D printed “record-tall” turbine towers。The partners successfully printed a 10-meter tall turbine tower last year, and the environmental benefits of the project were recently presented to world leaders at乔·拜登总统’s climate summit。
Lafargeholcim还获得了3D印刷的设计建造合同40米的行人行人天桥in preparation for the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris. The company forms part of a consortium made up of civil engineering firm弗莱赛，，，，Levigne和Cheron建筑师，计算和人工智能（AI）公司Quadricand large scale 3D printing firmXtreeE，，，，which will work together to construct the deck of the bridge entirely from 3D printed concrete.
Lafargeholcimhas previously taken part in a collaborative 3D printing research and development project that sought to develop innovative3D打印系统和建筑材料。西班牙建筑联盟3DCONS，，，，of which LafargeHolcim is a part, hopes its research will enable the future automation of building construction, rehabilitation, and thermal insulation with 3D printing.
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Featured image shows14Trees正在使用3D打印来解决非洲的住房和基础设施短缺。通过14trees的图像。
