3D printed buildings can now incorporate greenery

The prototypes built by the researchers initially looked like normal unfired earth structures. But thanks to the seeds placed inside, over the course of a few days, they sprout and become covered in green. According to the university, building elements such as green walls and roofs could be constructed using this method, bringing benefits such as natural insulation, flood prevention, and green spaces for people, pollinators, and other animals.

Furthermore, this method could reduce the need for emission-intensive building materials, replacing them with a circular alternative that could be reused many times over. The buildings constructed have the potential, moreover, to be carbon neutral or even carbon negative, as their plant coverings would remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.

Furthermore, this method could reduce the need for emission-intensive building materials, replacing them with a circular alternative that could be reused many times. The buildings constructed have the potential to be carbon neutral or even carbon negative, as their plant coverings would remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.

Initially, the UVA researchers used their method to create a series of small, self-supporting, beehive-like structures, with the goal than to create structures strong enough to stand on their own while providing enough moisture and nutrients to support seed germination and seedling growth. The researchers started by printing larger objects, such as walls of about one meter in height. Next, they will try to mount the 3D printing system on a mobile robot that could enable the production of taller and more complex structures with multiple sides.

Opening image: University of Virgina, 3D prints. Photo Ehsan Baharlou