Home construction with "printers" begins to be introduced

This construction technology is claimed to be able to build a simple house in 5 days and have a labor efficiency of 35 percent.

DOKUMENTASI PT BAKRIE & BROTHERS TBK

PT Bakrie & Brothers Tbk (BNBR) via its subsidiary PT Modula Tiga Dimensi has entered the 3D construction printing industry, offering technology focused on solutions to the housing shortage issue in Indonesia. The technology is claimed to be capable of building houses faster and more environmentally friendly.

JAKARTA, KOMPAS - Building construction technology using three-dimensional printing or printermethods is starting to be introduced in Indonesia. This construction technology is claimed to be able to build a simple house in 5 days with labor efficiency of up to 35 percent.

PT Modula Tiga Dimensi, a joint venture of PT Bakrie & Brothers Tbk (BNBR) and Cobod International from Denmark, are starting to work on the three-dimensional construction printing (3DCP) construction industry. It is claimed that making building walls using a printer can save construction time, labor, and use more environmentally friendly materials.

Operational Director of PT Modula Tiga Dimensi (Modula) Debiyarto Imran, stated that three-dimensional printed construction is a disruptive technology in the field of building construction. The construction of buildings, such as houses, buildings and bridges, is made using a printer mechanism. Instead of making building walls by laying bricks, walls are now simply printed using a printer.

Also read: Developers Offer ”ESG” Principles

The use of three-dimensional printing technology in construction is considered to save time in building houses. As an illustration, if the installation of bricks for a 45 square meter residential unit (type 45) takes 1.5 months, then with the printer mechanism, it can be completed in just five days.

”We partner with Cobod International. We brought in a printer unit, so we claim to be pioneers in the 3D construction printing industry. "The use of this (technology) is already moving in developed countries, so the trend is going there," said Debiyarto, when contacted, Thursday (23/5/2024).

KOMPAS/MOHAMAD FINAL DAENG

Illustration. Signify's 3D printer machine is printing a lampshade, in Eindhoven, Netherlands, Thursday (14/11/2019).

Apart from Cobod International, other companies that apply three-dimensional printing technology include Black Buffalo 3D, as well as Icon from the United States, Cybe 3D from the Netherlands, and Apis Cor 3D from Russia. Cobod International, for example, has almost 80 printer machines for implementing three-dimensional printing construction throughout the world.

This technology reduces more than 50 percent of the time required for conventional house construction and saves 35 percent of the workforce.

Debiyarto added that the building materials, which consist of sand, aggregate (stone), and cement, are considered more environmentally friendly and can fully rely on domestic material sources. Currently, green cement products are considered to have been widely produced in Indonesia.

Home Disadvantages

Debiyarto stated that his party plans to build prototype dwellings using three-dimensional printing technology, starting this year. In addition, they are also studying the construction of buildings using this technology for upper and middle-class homes, as well as row houses. For the initial phase, the housing products will be marketed to the upper-middle class community.

His party is also ready to study the use of similar technology for middle segment houses with building costs of IDR 5 million per square meter (m²), down to the simple house segment. His party will also collaborate with the Ministry of Public Works and People's Housing to apply the construction to residential building standards, as well as carry out tests for earthquake-prone areas.

"Gradually, we will also review procurement for the lower middle segment with adjustments to finishing materials. "We will try to focus and enter this segment," he said.

VIDELIS JEMALI

One of the earthquake-resistant houses being constructed in Wani Satu Village, Tanantovea District, Donggala Regency, Central Sulawesi, was seen on Wednesday (February 19th, 2020).

Previously, Modula's CEO Adi Bagus Tirto stated that the housing market in Indonesia still suffers from a supply shortage. The need for decent housing in Indonesia reaches approximately 600,000-800,000 units per year. However, the available supply is only 400,000-500,000 units per year. It is estimated that around 30 million households in Indonesia will require decent housing by 2030.

Director & Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of PT Bakrie & Brothers Tbk, Roy Hendrajanto M Sakti, stated in a press release on Tuesday, May 21st, that the environmentally friendly 3D printing construction technology is expected to address the housing shortage in Indonesia, especially in the building and housing construction segments. In addition, this is in line with the principles of environment, social, and governance (ESG).

"We see that the potential for industrial growth in Indonesia is very large. This is a business opportunity that is worth exploring and developing," said Roy, who is also the President Commissioner of Modula.

KHAERUL ANWAR

At least 207 out of 570 houses in Dasan Banjur Hamlet, Rempek Village, North Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara have been completed in the post-earthquake rehabilitation phase in July-August 2018. The residents of the hamlet are now able to occupy their new houses, marked by the handover of house keys by North Lombok Regent Najmul Ahyar on Friday (2/9/2019).

Co-Founder & Head of Asia-Pacific Cobod International, Simon Klint Bergh, also stated in a press release on Tuesday that the 3D printing construction technology focuses on solving the problem of housing shortages while adhering to sustainable and environmentally-friendly principles. The technology is considered capable of building houses smarter, faster, sustainably, and energy-efficiently, thus becoming a solution for construction in Indonesia.

"This technology reduces more than 50 percent of the time required in conventional house construction, saves 35 percent of labor, reduces material waste disposal by up to 20 percent, and has high design flexibility and precision," he said.

Also read: Earthquake Resistant and Green Subsidized House Design Prepared

Chairman of the Indonesian Precast and Prestressed Experts Association (IAPPI) Hari Nugraha Nurjaman, when contacted on Thursday (23/5/2024), stated that three-dimensional printing construction technology is still in the experimental stage. Therefore, technically, earthquake resistance testing is still needed.

"The cost aspect also needs to be studied. "If studies and trials continue to be carried out, it will become clearer the market position for this technology," he said.