Dubai to print 25% of its buildings
dubai — His Highness Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, has officially launched the ‘Dubai 3D Printing Strategy’ which will see 25 per cent of all buildings in Dubai 3D printed by 2030, establishing Dubai as a leading hub of 3D printing technology.
“The UAE is presenting to the world today the first integrated and comprehensive strategy to exploit the 3D technology to serve humanity. We have also framed practical plans and precise goals to turn the strategy into reality — the reality that will contribute to the progress and prosperity of the world and help preserve our human heritage,” Shaikh Mohammed said. “The future will depend on 3D printing technologies in all aspects of our life, starting from houses we live in, the streets we use, the cars we drive, the clothes we wear and the food we eat.”
According to the plan, the use of 3D printing in Dubai’s construction sector will increase by 2 per cent, starting 2019 up to 25 per cent by 2030. By 2025, the value of 3D printing technology-based construction in Dubai is expected to be Dh3 billion, while 3D printed medical services will account for Dh1.7 billion and 3D printed consumer goods for Dh2.8 billion — a total of Dh7.5 billion in the same time frame. The global market for 3D printing is expected to be $300 billion by the same year.
“We will raise this percentage with the development of global technology as well as growth of market demand. We believe that this technology is capable of transforming the construction sector by lowering costs and reducing the time it takes to implement projects,” Shaikh Mohammed noted. “It will also help reduce manpower requirements as well as waste generated from construction which can be harmful to the environment. We will also focus on utilising this technology in other vital sectors such as medicine and consumer products to offer goods and services at competitive prices.
“This technology will create added economic value and benefits worth billions of dollars during the coming period. We should have a share in this growing global market. This technology will restructure economies and labour markets as the use of unskilled labourers will come down compared to the current situation, especially in construction sector,” he added. “It will also redefine productivity because the time needed for 3D printing of buildings and products will be 10 per cent of the time taken in traditional techniques.”
Shaikh Mohammed also said that the project aims to do nothing less than making Dubai one of the world’s foremost centres of 3D printing technology.
“Through the 3D Printing Strategy, we aim to make Dubai a global
3b Dirhams will be the value of 3D printing technologybased construction in Dubai by 2025
hub for the development of this technology and a base for research and development in this area. We aim to provide the best opportunities for innovation and optimal application of this technology worldwide. Our goal is to raise the level of services provided to the people and harness 3D printing for the benefit of the entire community,” he said. “The future does not wait for those who hesitate and slow down. The next stage requires us to act fast and utilise the opportunities. Few days ago we launched the Dubai Future Agenda and we have started to implement it through a number of initiatives and strategies which add value to humanity and our national economy.”
The future does not wait for those who hesitate and slow down. The next stage requires us to act fast and utilise the opportunities”
Shaikh Mohammed