University project testing new construction method’s viability; potential to deliver better-made, more affordable housing, faster.
A distinctive new building is being constructed across from the University of Windsor’s Toldo Lancer Centre: a 3D-printed student residence.
It is Canada’s first multi-storey 3D-printed building and could be one of the largest structures of its kind in the world. The team behind the project is testing the novel construction method’s viability, including its potential to deliver better-made and more affordable housing, faster.
“It’s never been done before at this scale, as far as we’re aware,” said Charlie Simpkins, chief commercialization officer at the University of Windsor. “I know that the team is working with the Guinness Book of World Records, for example, to try to understand how this project could fit into record books.”
Outdoor construction on the project began earlier this month but is currently paused for the winter.
Once completed, the 3D-printed building will contain seven residential units with a total of 25 beds. It will also serve as a “living laboratory” to test out the potential of 3D printing as a tool for future affordable housing.
Construction is being overseen by a team led by Sreekanta Das, a civil and environmental engineering professor at the University of Windsor. Making the project possible was a $2-million investment from the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario, part of Ottawa’s boosted efforts at tackling a national housing crisis.
This is not the first time the university has been involved in a large-scale 3D-printed project. In 2022, Das and his team led the construction of a single-storey multi-unit building in Leamington.
“We really were anticipating the government’s call to find innovative ways for new home construction,” Simpkins said about the current project and referring to Ottawa’s efforts to push for more housing and more affordability.
“They’re asking us to build homes faster. They’re asking us to find ways to limit construction waste, to work with research institutions to find ways to innovate in construction,” Simpkins said. During the printing process, the gantries move hoses back and forth along the perimeter, pouring layers of concrete in a continuous loop. The hoses pour concrete in sinuous lines with pockets inside the walls for pipes and electricity conduits.
The result is a unique architectural style of thin horizontal layers of cured concrete that will eventually make up three storeys of external walls. This multi-layered construction design — better for insulation, according to proponents — along with the addition of solar panels on the rooftop means the final residence is expected to operate with net-zero emissions, Simpkins says.
The site stands out from other nearby conventional construction projects with its multi-storey gantries — or support structures — that frame the property. The 3D printer was set up in September and pouring began in early November, but is currently paused for the winter months.
In addition to being a residence, the site will serve as a training ground to test the possibilities of 3D-printed structures.
Students will study potential cost efficiencies, the effects of cold weather, and the durability of the printed concrete. The results will help determine whether 3D printing could become a feasible and affordable alternative to traditional construction.
“We’d like to do more in the future,” Simpkins said. “We’re working with the city of Windsor to try to identify other opportunities, either on lands that we own, lands that the city owns or other lands within the city to be able to do more 3D-printed housing if, in fact, this turns out to be a viable solution.”