ETH zurich explores 3D-printed mineral foam construction elements

ETH Zurich explores digital fabrication of industrial waste

The Digital Building Technologies team at ETH Zurich present Airlements — an architectural alternative for sustainable and durable construction. Exploring applications of digital fabrication, the research project uses 3D-printed geopolymer-based mineral foams to conceive a lightweight insulated construction element that can reduce building materials, labor, and costs.

These elements, made from recycled industrial waste, can be cast together with foam and coated with a protective cover of cement-free plaster, lending the elements a lower carbon footprint than foamed concrete or plastic foams. With hollow insides, the insulating, custom-shaped blocks can be assembled to form a two-meter-tall monolithic system for non-structural walls.

ETH Zurich explores digital fabrication for construction elements | all images courtesy of the author

3d-printed mineral foam blocks for sustainable building

Airlements leverages moldless fabrication through a large-scale robotic 3D-printing system developed at ETH Zurich (more here) in collaboration with FenX AG (more here). The prototype is an assembly of four hollow foam segments, each weighing just 25 kg, which were printed then hardened for one week with a controlled temperature of 20 – 28°C and relative humidity of 20 – 70%. Consequently, no energy-intensive processing was required — an advancement to ETH Zurich’s previous research using cement-free mineral foams. The corrugated texture of the prints, which lends a sculptural finish, results from the path design that increases the strength during hardening.

The research team has experimented with different densities of the material to provide controlled insulation and strength where needed. This in turn reduces the operation energy required for heating buildings and facilitates the future reuse and recycling of building parts. With plans to enhance the prototype, future development will focus on increasing the elements’ load-bearing capacity and fabrication precision of the 3D-printing system.

industrial waste recycled for 3D-printed mineral foam construction blocks

four blocks stacked together for a two-meters-tall prototype

a lightweight insulated construction element for non-structural walls

Airlements can reduce building materials, labor, and costs

a collaboration between ETH Zurich’s Digital Building Technologies team and FenX AG

the hollow blocks, printed in custom-shapes, can be cast together using foam

a sculptural finish

the cement-free geopolymer-based mineral foam elements have a low carbon footprint

production process

project info:

name: Airlements
designer: Digital Building Technologies, ETH Zurich

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edited by: ravail khan | designboom