Nidus3D erects North America’s first 3D-printed, two-story building

While several 3D-printed buildings have been erected in the U.S. and Canada in recent years, they have all been single-story buildings. Now, Canadian 3D construction printing company nidus3D has completed printing of a two-story building in Ontario—the first multistory 3D-printed building in North America.

The company used Cobod’s BOD2 3D construction printer, which can print with real concrete with a particle size up to 10 mm and 99% based on locally found raw materials.

The 2,300-sq.-ft., two-story house will have a studio on the ground floor and a residence above. One new method developed in the project was on-site 3D printing of a horizontal beam, which was lifted into place by a crane.

Cobod and nidus3D both believe this new way of building will be a game changer for the Canadian housing crisis.

“We have critical shortfall of skilled laborers and a massive and growing demand for housing all across Canada,” said Ian Arthur, a nidus3D founder. “So, if we do not begin to look at new ways of building, we’re never going to catch up. It is part of our core values, to seek solutions to address the housing crisis and to help build affordable housing with the help of 3D printing.”

One of the many advantages of 3D concrete printed houses is that they can be built quickly. The complete building took only 80 hours to print, down from the 200 hours for the first building.