First 3D printed house in Kenya – being scaled to one of the largest 3D printed construction projects in the World!

Over three billion people are expected to need affordable housing by 2030. This issue is most acute in Africa, with countries like Kenya already facing an estimated shortage of two million houses. The start was made in Oct 2021 with the first 3D printed demonstration house in Nairobi, Kenya, which is also the first 3D printed house to achieve the IFC-EDGE Design Certificate.

14Trees brought the project to life with the help of a COBOD BOD2 3D construction printer, the most sold 3D construction printer in the world. 14Trees is a Joint Venture between Holcim and CDC Group. In Q1 of 2022 14Trees will start printing 52 affordable housing units in Kilifi similar to the Nairobi building, in a project that will be one of the biggest 3D construction projects in the world. This will demonstrate the economic potential of the 3DCP technology and document the speed advantages of 3DCP as a building method.

14Trees addresses the housing crisis with cutting edge printing technology that is expected to disrupt the construction industry globally. Faster and more efficient – and with a lower CO2 footprint.

The Nairobi house won the IFC-EDGE design certification as a testament to the sustainable and resource-efficient design.
EDGE design certifications are provided by IFC, International Finance Corporation, a part of the World Bank Group, with 189 member countries, staff from more than 170 countries, and offices in over 130 locations, is a unique global partnership: five institutions working for sustainable solutions that reduce poverty and build shared prosperity in developing countries. A global network of certifiers and accredited EDGE Experts support the collective ambition to mainstream green buildings and help fight climate change.