Dubai issues first construction licence for 3D-printed villa

Dubai Municipality has issued the first construction license for a private villa that will be built using 3D printing technology.

The villa will be printed in one session and will be located at Al Awir 1 area in Dubai.

A four-metre-high structure will be printed in a single session.

The villa is expected to be completed by October and will be built entirely from locally sourced concrete, according to a Dubai Media Office report.

These procedures support the objectives of the Dubai 3D Printing Strategy 2030.

The strategy aims to increase the percentage of implemented 3D-printed buildings in the emirate to achieve a minimum rate of 25 per cent by 2030.

Engineer Mariam Al Muhairi, acting CEO of the Buildings Regulation and Permits Agency at Dubai Municipality said: “Dubai Municipality has issued the emirate’s first construction licence for a private residence built with 3D printing technology. This project aims to encourage contractors, engineers, investors, and real estate developers to adopt and use technology in their building operations.

“The municipality further offers support and facilities to monitor and control the usage of this innovative technology in building and construction, in line with the Dubai 3D Printing Strategy and Decree No (24) of 2021 Regulating the Use of Three-dimensional Printing in Construction Works in the emirate of Dubai, which aims at increasing the percentage of buildings implemented and printed using the 3D technology by no less than 25 per cent by 2030.”

#DubaiMunicipality has issued the first building permit for a residential villa constructed using 3D printing technology within Al Awir 1 area in Dubai. This groundbreaking construction technique enables printing models and structures up to 4 metres in height in a single session. pic.twitter.com/PybOdFjLTL

— بلدية دبي | Dubai Municipality (@DMunicipality) July 18, 2023

Benefits of using 3D-printed construction

The use of 3D-printed construction achieves a variety of economic and environmental benefits, including lower construction costs and shorter construction time by shortening the supply chain for construction work, ease of construction of complex shapes structures, the use of sustainable raw materials and recycled materials in construction and environmental preservation by reducing the proportion of tailings resulting from construction work.

As it does not necessitate a huge number of personnel on site, 3D printing technology is faster and more accurate than traditional methods of construction.

Dubai Municipality launched a variety of technical activities specialised in 3D-printed technology last year, including construction engineering consultancy activity with this technology, construction contracting activity with 3D printing technology, and manufacturing concrete for construction using this technology.