Dubbo's 3D-printed toilet block could open door to housing crisis solutions
A giant 3D printer arrived in Dubbo this week, with construction on a toilet block to be finished in days. (ABC Western Plains: Ondine Slack-Smith)
A groundbreaking development is taking place in Dubbo, western NSW, that could alter the housing crisis gripping regional NSW.
Key points:
- The toilet block is expected to be constructed in days
- The concrete printer will build the walls, roof and internal structure
- Dubbo council will consider using the same technology for housing
A giant 3D printer has arrived in town, ready to construct a new toilet block in a local park.
Printing started earlier this week and is expected to be completed within a matter of days.
"This project is on the cutting edge of technology, offering us a chance to see the future of construction as it happens," Dubbo Mayor Mathew Dickerson said.
The printer will fabricate not only the walls but also the internal structure and roof of the building.
Traditional construction methods would typically take months or even years to complete, but thanks to this innovative approach, the toilet block is set to be fully operational by the end of next month following a final fit-out.
Dubbo Regional Council is the first local government organisation to construct a building using 3D printing technology. (Supplied: Contour 3D)
Fuss-free construction
The Dubbo project is being built by the company Contour3D.
Contour3D chief executive Nick Holden said the printer was wheeled into town and erected on site.
"Dubbo Regional Council is the first council to engage a 3D concrete printer to build a structure in Australia," he said.
Mr Holden said 3D printers had come a long way in Australia in the past few years.
"We're still two years into the technology," he said.
"There was no instruction manual when we started and we're still making it up, but we're doing a fantastic job.
"The house building sector is really the last industry to be automated through robotics.
"You've got all the other manufacturing sectors using robots to get precision and speed but construction is still relatively based on building with sticks and bricks.
"You can dig up the sand in Egypt and find the same construction methods we're using today that are 4,000 to 5,000 years old."
Future-proofing housing markets
The potential impact of 3D printing on the housing market is significant, particularly in rural and remote areas.
Last year, Australia's first 3D-printed house was constructed in Melbourne in just three days.
Mr Holden said the cost of 3D printing a house was roughly 20 to 30 per cent cheaper than a comparably sized house built with bricks and mortar.
Contour 3D general manager Shayne Jessiman (left) and chief executive Nick Holden on site in Dubbo. (ABC Western Plains: Ondine Slack-Smith)
This is what sparked interest from Dubbo Regional Council.
Cr Dickerson said it cost the council nearly half a million dollars to build three toilets in the CBD during 2020.
The new 3D printed construction would be $178,000 cheaper, and would include more than double the amount of toilets plus an additional three urinals.
"This will be the first time Dubbo Regional Council has used 3D printing technology, and it is hoped that if the trial is successful, council will investigate future opportunities to utilise the technology," Cr Dickerson said.
The council has set aside land in a popular housing estate for a 3D housing project in the near future, pending the outcome of the 3D-printed toilet block.
"This method has the potential to revolutionise the way we build infrastructure and housing,"Cr Dickerson said.