3D printing in the construction industry: Lünen shows possibilities for affordable housing

In Lünen, Germany’s first publicly subsidized apartment building was completed using the 3D concrete printing process and handed over to its future residents. The construction project was supported by the Ministry of Regional Identity, Communities and Local Government, Building and Digitalization in North Rhine-Westphalia with funding from the “Innovation in the construction industry” initiative and public housing subsidies. The aim was to combine innovative technologies with affordable living space.

The building comprises six residential units with a total living space of just under 424 square meters. The construction time was significantly reduced through the use of 3D printing technology: the pure printing time was only 118 hours. A special printing concrete was used, which is not only low in CO₂ but also fully recyclable. In addition to its ecological efficiency, the technology impressed with its precision and flexibility.

“When 3D meets a capital B: Our 3D’s for the future of construction – digital, dynamic, ready to print – come together with affordability in a special way in this flagship project. We are thus bringing affordable housing and innovative construction under one roof. I am delighted that the tenants have received their keys today and can move into their new homes at affordable rents. This project is the first of its kind in Germany. With the help of this construction project, we can gain important experience from which future construction projects will benefit. As a pioneer in the use of innovative construction methods, North Rhine-Westphalia will continue to provide decisive impetus for the construction industry in the future. Particularly in the current difficult situation, the courage to innovate and public housing subsidies are an anchor of stability. This results in construction projects that create jobs and regional added value. I would like to thank everyone involved in making this outstanding construction project a reality,” says Ina Scharrenbach, Minister for Regional Identity, Communities, Building and Digitalization of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia.

3D concrete printing offers numerous advantages: The technology reduces material consumption and construction time, while increasing efficiency through automated processes. At the same time, it opens up new possibilities in the design and use of resources. The knowledge gained will be used to standardize approval procedures and construction processes and thus further optimize follow-up projects.

Jan Hische, CEO of Wohnungsbaugenossenschaft Lünen eG: “The construction of an apartment building using 3D concrete printing in combination with public housing subsidies was an exciting and demanding challenge for us as a housing cooperative. The great response from the sector shows the importance of this innovative project. My special thanks go to all those involved, whose commitment made the successful completion possible, as well as to the Ministry for its support. I am delighted to be able to hand over the apartments to their future residents.”

This construction project demonstrates the potential of modern technologies to tackle urgent social challenges such as the lack of affordable housing. North Rhine-Westphalia is positioning itself as a pioneer in the promotion of innovative construction methods that take equal account of ecological and economic aspects.

Dr. Fabian Meyer-Brötz, Managing Director of PERI 3D Construction GmbH: “With today’s handover of the keys, we are jointly celebrating the completion of the first publicly subsidized apartment building from the 3D printer. Once again, we were able to show how efficiently, quickly and resource-efficiently 3D building printing can create living space. Especially now, when the situation in housing construction is increasingly tense, we as an industry should pause and ask ourselves how we want to meet the demand for affordable housing in the future. With 3D building printing, project developers and construction companies have a solution at hand that provides strong answers to the challenges of construction. A solution that is developing rapidly – and with which it will be possible to build more cost-effectively in the coming year than is possible with conventional construction methods.”