b'INNOVATIVE HOUSINGthe steps and materials needed to build resil-ient homes. The process also leans heavily on automation and advanced robotics, which is advantageous for communities that lack access to skilled labour. Moreover, says Arthur, the technology can be highly mobile: Because its a digital approach to construction, we can deploy it almost anywhere and use a centralized team to help support the people in the field. That means we can design a unit for one place and upload the same printer file anywhere in Canada.LANDMARK PROJECTSnidus3D possesses two BOD2 3D construc-tion printing machines, which are unique to 3D construction printing methods rely heavily on automation and advanced robotics the Canadian construction industry. In recent to a crisis that he has seen unfolding throughout his career:years, the company has put its technology to work on five Housing has been a huge issue since before I was elected,landmark projects comprising seven printed buildings. In but we just havent had any solutions. Sure, there are policy2022, it made headlines when it joined Habitat for Humanity levers you can pull, and funding does help in some circum- Windsor-Essex and the University of Windsor to develop stances, but the size and scale of the problem we are facing,Canadas first 3D-printed fourplex in Leamington, Ontario. and the underlying factors leading to that crisis, are so broadThis year, nidus3D partnered with the Siksika First Nation in and so deep that were not going to be able to legislateAlberta to create Canadas largest 3D concrete printed house our way out of it. to date on Siksika land. The house was given the Blackfoot name Kakatoosoyiists, (Star Lodges) by the Siksika Nation Chief and Council. Arthur believes 3D construction printing is a tangible way to address those underlying issues. 3D construction canWere trying to build climate-resilient, long-lasting housing, tackle construction supply chain challenges by reducingArthur explains. One interesting thing that I heard from the CEO of Habitat Windsor-Essex from our first build is that these buildings have had some of the lowest maintenance costs theyve ever seen in their portfolio because they are made out of concrete and super well-insulated.Launching a 3D construction printing venture is no small investment. But buoyed by the success of recent projects, Arthur is confident that the upfront costs of nidus3Ds robotics and systems will be covered by future rounds of fundraising and the companys overall growth trajectory. At this stage, weve figured out the nuts and bolts, and we are in the process of scaling the production in a way that makes us more effi-cient, chips away at construction costs, and really plays into the benefits of our technology, he says.As the technology matures, Arthur also sees 3D construction printing as a means of giving communities greater autonomy, noting, If we can use automated processes supported by a few well-trained people, and we can provide that training for folks in those communities, I can [envision] a future where those communities have ownership of their own housingproduction.In an ideal world, everyone in Canada, regardless of where they reside, would have access to safe and resilient housing. In reality, many of the countrys Indigenous communities struggle to address housing supply gaps that are only widening. NUQO, Bison Modular and nidus3D are just some of the companies working hard to offer modern housing solutions that everyone can truly call home.22A CCIB PUBLICATIONSummer 2024'