Real estate investment fund the South African Housing & Infrastructure Fund (SAHIF) has announced that it plans to roll out innovative three-dimensional (3D) concrete-printed homes in South Africa.

This is possible owing to a joint venture (JV) between it and Netherlands construction technology company CyBe Construction, which is a provider of 3D concrete printers and earthquake-proof material.

“The demand for affordable quality housing in South Africa far outstrips the supply. We can better address this challenge by reducing the cost of materials and labour, speeding up the construction process and improving the quality of the finished houses.

“Not only are 3D-printed houses more affordable and time efficient to build, but we know they are durable enough to withstand the kinds of seismic forces that surprised us all this week,” says SAHIF CEO Rali Mampeule, referring to a 4.4 magnitude earthquake in Boksburg, Gauteng, on June 11.

The mission of the JV to provide affordable and rapid housing solutions was bolstered by the successful on-site training using CyBe’s mobile 3D concrete printer at the University of Johannesburg, he points out.

“This technology demonstrated its capacity to construct a complete house within just five days, marking a significant stride towards addressing the country's pressing housing deficit,” says Mampeule.

“Introducing these innovative 3D-printed, earthquake-proof homes offers a sustainable solution to the country's housing shortage and reassures residents of their safety.”

The JV can revolutionise the construction landscape, he avers.

“We have a significant housing deficit, which is a problem that has persisted for many years. With the blueprint for resilient, cost-effective housing at their fingertips, we can accelerate constructing a safe and secure future for all our citizens,” he emphasises.

Meanwhile, the cornerstone of building these resilient structures lies in advanced design principles and materials selection. 3D concrete printing allows architects and engineers to work in unison to design and create buildings that can absorb and dissipate the energy produced during seismic events, explains Mampeule.

These aesthetically pleasing houses are structurally sound, incorporating earthquake-resistant materials such as steel and polymer.

Further, the CyBe Mortar is a high-strength, earthquake-resistant concrete specifically formulated for 3D printing. Coupled with the option to use enhanced graphene polymer from UK manufacturer 2-DTech, these advanced materials promise superior durability and flexibility, making them ideal for constructing earthquake-proof homes, he says.