Good morning. Thanks for having me today to speak about the potential of additive construction, commonly known as 3-D printing, and its role as a powerful tool to help address Canada's housing crisis challenges.

My name is Marcos Silveira. I serve as a director of engineering at Printerra 3DCP. In addition to my role at Printerra, I chair the ASTM WK84415 committee, which deals with standard practice for evaluation of structural printed elements. I also contribute to the ASTM F42 ISO JG80, focused on development of standards practice for additive construction in general.

I'm also part of some committees in the U.S., such as ICC and NIST. However, it's worth mentioning that Canada has yet to establish any standard committees for additive construction.

At Printerra 3DCP we provide additive construction services, and we are proud to be part of a larger group of construction companies dedicated to innovation in this space.

Additive construction techniques are demonstrating their value globally by enabling faster construction of high-quality, cost-effective homes. In countries like the United States, Germany and the Netherlands, 3-D printing is already producing entire structural components, from foundation walls to full housing units. These printed structures are not only faster to produce but also provide unique benefits such as enhanced material efficiency, optimized design integration and reduced environmental impact, making homes more sustainable in the long term.

Research conducted in Canada, including my own work as a research fellow at the University of Windsor, published in the Canadian Journal of Civil Engineering under the title “Structural performance of large-scale 3D-printed walls subjected to axial compression load”, has demonstrated the potential of additive construction in producing robust structural components. These findings also suggest that additive construction can meet and exceed both Canadian and American masonry standards, further validating its role in addressing our housing needs. This research, by the way, was part of the Leamington project that Fiona Coughlin, the CEO of Habitat for Humanity in Windsor, mentioned to you all a couple of weeks ago.

However, despite these advancements, Canada still faces several roadblocks that prevent us from fully leveraging additive construction technologies. Current regulations are not designed to accommodate innovation, including additive construction, which limits our ability to apply this technology in commercial and residential projects. The above-mentioned paper suggests that 3-D printed walls can be designed to meet masonry standards. However, interpretations differ across municipalities, resulting in inconsistencies. Developing new standards and guidelines for 3-D printing construction is crucial, but the process could take seven to 10 years, far too slow to meet society's urgent needs. Immediate solutions are required to make this technology impactful and address today's challenges effectively.

A comprehensive, unified research initiative that systematically addresses critical knowledge gaps in additive construction remains absent. Current research efforts are often disconnected and not aligned with industry needs, lacking focus on practical applications that could drive the development of the industry standards and building codes. A coordinated research strategy guided by these crucial gaps is necessary to ensure that findings directly support the creation of robust standards, design guidelines and building codes. To enable the widespread adoption of 3-D printing in Canada's construction sector, it is crucial to align research, industry expertise, and the development of standards and building codes.

The accelerated retirement of skilled workers and the lack of new talent entering the trades have led to a growing gap in the available workforce. The shift toward automation in construction requires workers skilled in robotics, new materials and innovative technologies. While traditional workers are experiencing conventional methods, they need specialized training to adapt to additive construction. Investing in targeted education and training will ensure our workforce can support this technology shift.

In conclusion, 3-D printing offers a transformative solution to Canada's housing crisis by reducing costs, enhancing sustainability and speeding up construction timelines. However, to fully realize this potential, we must address several key challenges: advancing targeted research to fill gaps identified by industry players, rapidly updating building codes and standards to accommodate innovation, and investing in specialized workforce training. With these important elements in place, additive construction can reshape the housing sector and significantly contribute to meeting the growing demand for affordable housing in Canada.

Thank you for having me.