PHOTO
Dar Al Arkan has begun using the BOD2 3D construction printer capable of building three-story large-scale residential units as it expects 3D-printed housing units to become a reality in Saudi Arabia and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), Vice Chairman Ziad El Chaar told Zawya Projects.
COBOD specialises in the construction industry innovations such as 3D construction printing (3DCP), he said, adding it was important for them to team up with a well-established Saudi partner such as Dar Al Arkan to deploy their technology.
3DCP technology will accelerate the speed of construction, enhance safety and reduce wastage and errors.
El Chaar is confident that the technology will become a reality in the region, expecting wider adoption as technology improves.
3DCP cuts the construction time by more than half and is more flexible in design, requiring less manpower as a crew of three workers can build one house, the top executive said.
Therefore, he noted that this creates a safer workplace with decreased manpower downtime and improved on-site safety.
Besides, less concrete is required to complete a building, making the technology more sustainable and a viable solution for the future low-carbon construction industry.
For consumers, the combination of these advantages ensures lower costs and more affordability than traditional construction, El Chaar said.
“The technology will revolutionise how customers buy their homes in the near future,” he said, noting that Dar Al Arkan customers will “very soon” be able to select from various digital building designs and authorise the printing of their homes with a click of a button.
“Our growth in the market will consistently focus on the second home and vacation home space, as this is where we have the expertise and can add the most value.”
Asked about the funding of projects, El Chaar said that the firm finances new projects through a mix of debt, equity and proceeds from off-plan sales.
“We recently closed our 14th round of sukuk, raising $400 million. The money will be used to support our continuous funding programme, construction and business development,” he said, ruling out further sukuk issuances this year.
(Reporting by D Madhura; Editing by Anoop Menon)
