The EU's construction sector is struggling to meet its 2050 climate goals, contributing nearly 40% of global CO2 emissions and energy consumption. The whole industry faces mounting pressure from global climate change, the rising cost of labor, and the need to provide efficient solutions to the housing crisis. The EU-funded AM2PM project seeks to address these challenges by leveraging additive manufacturing (AM) technologies, specifically 3D concrete printing (3DCP), alongside AI and digital twin technologies.
By integrating collaborative robotic systems and advanced materials, AM2PM aims to drastically improve efficiency, reduce material use by 50%, and cut millions of tons of CO2 emissions to align with the EU Green Deal and New European Bauhaus objectives.
Concrete is the most widely used building material and relies heavily on cement, which accounts for about 8% of global CO2 emissions. One of the core aspects of AM2PM is its use of local recycled concrete aggregates and quarry waste, which can easily be integrated into 3DCP cementitious mixes. These inherently fine-grained materials are suitable for use in 3DCP since the technology requires mixes with fine particles. In conventional construction, fine particles typically decrease workability and strength.
However, AM2PM has demonstrated that these materials, when used in 3D printing, contribute positively by enhancing buildability and accelerating the early stiffening and strength of 3D-printed components, thereby reducing construction time and cutting costs by over €11 billion annually.
One of the key goals of the AM2PM project is to reduce material consumption by as much as 50%, which has the benefit of reducing embodied CO2 and lowering construction costs. As opposed to conventional construction methods that require large, bulky elements, AM2PM allows for precisely placing material only where it's structurally necessary.
By utilizing a truss-like architecture and optimized geometrical designs, AM2PM achieves significant material savings without compromising mechanical integrity. These savings can be further amplified by eliminating the need for conventional molds, which often consume half of the overall material in traditional construction methods.
While 3D printing has been demonstrated effectively in small and specialized applications, scaling it for large-scale multistorey construction has been challenging. AM2PM integrates comprehensive design and manufacturing quality control across all stages of construction.
Furthermore, the "Learning-by-Printing (LbP)" principle pioneered by AM2PM will change the way 3D printed construction is approached. By using machine learning to predict and control the end-to-end 3D printing process, incorporating over 1000 automated experiments, the project aims to bridge the gap between digital simulations and real-world results, improving the precision of 3D printed materials and components.
These models will be able to predict both the geometry and physical properties of printed structures based on environmental and design inputs, creating continuous improvements in the construction process.
The project is committed to overcoming issues like cybersecurity risks, compliance with new building regulations, and concerns over the robustness of printed structures. By focusing on stakeholder engagement and increasing awareness about the technology's potential benefits, AM2PM aims to bring about a shift in construction that will make multistorey buildings more sustainable, cost-effective, and environmentally friendly, paving the way for the future of construction.
The AM2PM project, atarting in October 2024 and ending in September 2028, is coordinated by TECHNION – ISRAEL INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY and funded by the European Union under Grant Agreement No. 101162318. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or EISMEA. Neither the European Union nor EISMEA can be held responsible for them.