Advances in sustainable additive manufacturing for construction industry: A systematic review to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions

Oluwole Joseph OLADUNNI ^1* Carman K.M. Lee ² Oludolapo Olanrewaju ¹ Idowu Ibrahim ³

• ¹ Durban University of Technology, Durban, South Africa
• ² Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Kowloon, Hong Kong, SAR China
• ³ Vaal University of Technology, Vanderbijlpark, South Africa

Background||Objective: Additive manufacturing (AM), driven by digital 3D design data, has rapidly emerged as most innovative and transformative technology with the potential to revolutionize the construction industry. Its latent potentials to substantially reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, optimise material utilization and facilitate advanced design innovations, emplaces the technology as essential constituent for promoting sustainability in construction industry. The study seeks to conscientiously evaluate recent advancements of AM and their implications in promoting sustainability for the reduction of GHG emissions in construction industry of the built environment. Methods: Existing studies predominantly accentuate AM applications in industries such as biomedical, aerospace, and automotive engineering, with limited exploration of its prospect and impact on construction and infrastructure. The research conducts systematic review of comparative advantages of AM over traditional subtractive (T/SM) manufacturing processes, focusing on metrics such as process techniques, economic costs, production rate, sustainability and versatility of materials employed such as concretes, composites, and polymers. Through detailed analyses, the study roots to elucidate the transformative potential of AM in enabling sustainable practices in construction.The findings reveal that AM technologies present significant economic, social and environmental merits on GHG reduction in the built environment (BE) relative to TM technologies. Quantitatively, AM of 3D Print in construction is a viable alternative and supplement to TM techniques, with economic benefits ranging from 50-60% savings in labour, process and material costs. Environmentally, AM can yield up to 60% of energy efficiency, reduce material waste by 90%, mitigate GHG emissions by 80%, with the ultimate potential to cushion sustainability by 75% in specific designed cases. The research identifies multiple analytical frameworks where AM processes and materials demonstrate superior efficacy in mitigating carbon emissions, while also enhancing construction and enabling complex geometrical designs that are not feasible with conventional methods. Conclusion: This systematic review further augments the critical analytical requirements to incorporate AM technologies into contemporary construction techniques as strategic solution in the abatement of carbon emissions. By expounding the relative merits of AM over TSM, the systematic research contributes valuable insights toward the adoption of innovative manufacturing solutions for eco-friendly built environment.