immo!nvest – Die Plattform für Standorte und Immobilien

Tag: 14Trees

  • Holcim completes first part of 3D-printed settlement

    Holcim completes first part of 3D-printed settlement

    Holcim has announced the successful completion of the largest 3D-printed affordable housing complex to date. For this, 14Trees, a joint venture between Holcim and British International Investment, has printed the first ten housing units in Kenya, according to a media release. A total of 52 affordable buildings are planned in the gated community called Mvule Gardens near the town of Kilifi. Each new phase of construction will test further innovations, according to Holcim. The project is part of the Green Heart of Kenya regenerative ecosystem, a model for inclusive and climate-resilient cities.

    Building on the world’s first 3D-printed school by 14Trees in Malawi, the Mvula Gardens complex will also help close the country’s infrastructure gap and create affordable, climate-friendly housing on a large scale. In addition, this new technology will create highly skilled jobs: local workers will be trained as 3D machine assistants and specialists.

    The 3D printing of these ten housing units was made possible with TectorPrint, Holcim’s innovative 3D printing ink, produced for the first time in Kenya. The sustainability profile of this project was recognised by the International Finance Corporation, the development bank of the World Bank Group, with the EDGE Advanced certificate for sustainable design.

    “I am very proud of 14Trees’ work in Africa, where our innovations in 3D printing technology are accelerating affordable and sustainable construction,” Miljan Gutovic, Holcim’s regional director for Europe, is quoted as saying in the statement. “I look forward to 14Trees replicating these successes in Europe and other parts of Africa in the near future.”

  • 14Trees is building schools in Africa with 3D printing

    14Trees is building schools in Africa with 3D printing

    14Trees is using 3D printing on a large scale to build affordable residential and school buildings in Africa. Starting in Malawi, such buildings should be realized in record time in this way. The walls of the first school in Salima were printed in just 18 hours, according to a media release . In addition, the CO2 footprint is reduced by up to 70 percent through “optimized use of materials”.

    14Trees is a joint venture between the building materials group LafargeHolcim and the London-based impact investor CDC Group . "I am thrilled with the work our joint venture 14 Trees is doing," said Miljan Gutovic, Head of the Middle East and Africa region and member of the LafargeHolcim Executive Committee, quoted in the press release. "Starting in Malawi, we will use the technology throughout the region and already have projects in the pipeline for Kenya and Zimbabwe."

    Tenbite Ermias, Managing Director Africa of CDC, is convinced that “the broad application of the groundbreaking cutting-edge technology” of 14Trees enables “enormous development effects”. "This is a wonderful example of our investments in companies that contribute to the UN Sustainable Development Goals."

    As the message goes on to say, UNICEF estimates that Malawi is short of 36,000 classrooms. With conventional technology, this would take 70 years. According to 14Trees, this gap could be closed in ten years with 3D printing. In addition, the local projects would create qualified jobs.