Rebuilding a school in Ukraine with 3D printing technology


By Dr. Tim Sandle
Published May 31, 2023

There were days of heavy fighting in Krestchenivka, a village recently recaptured from Russian troops in southern Ukraine - Copyright AFP -

In Ukraine over two thousand schools in Ukraine have been damaged in the war, and 330 were destroyed due to the full-scale invasion. A rapid response to the problem of insufficient educational infrastructure in the country is needed. Advances in digital technology are providing a solution.

Team4UA, a humanitarian organization operating on the ground in Ukraine, is bringing technologies into the humanitarian emergency response in Ukraine. This includes implementing technology solutions for the coordination of humanitarian assistance as well as a programme for rebuilding houses, schools, and infrastructure using 3D printing technology.

One of the big projects involves a school and this is set to be the largest one-story educational facility in the world, built with an on-site 3D construction printer. The construction process will last about five weeks and be completed at the beginning of June 2023. The new additional school building is expected to be opened for 100 students in January 2024.

As well as being the largest structure, Lviv School No23 will also be the first educational institution in Ukraine and Europe to be printed on a construction 3D printer. The educational building will have one floor, which will house classrooms, teachers’ rooms, bathrooms, and a hall with an inclusive space capable of accommodating all categories of students, including children with special needs.

3D printing technology has advantages over conventional construction. In particular, construction using a 3D printer is ten times faster and requires the involvement of only two operators. It also stands that 3D technologies allow more accurate and efficient use of resources, reducing material costs.

The charity behind the effort – Team4UA – was founded by Jean-Christophe Bonis and initiated the project with the support of the international technological, humanitarian fund Humanitarian Innovative Technologies (HIT) in partnership with the Lviv City Council.

Supporting the project is Dominique Piotet, a French American digital transformation expert. Piotet says: “We are built on humanity and compassion. We are driven by edgy technology and its high impact on the future of the people and the world.” He says, “We are here to make a global impact, scale with high growth potential, and seek key investors for this extremely innovative project plus, we aim above the mark to HIT the target.”

Another partner is the Danish 3D construction company COBOD and the Danish construction company 3DCP Group, which will lead the printer’s operations on the ground. CEMARK, a CRH company, provides cement for the 3D printing concrete mix. 90 percent of the materials needed for construction are made in Ukraine.

Going forwards, the help of 3D printers, residential housing, offices, factories, infrastructure, bridges, and other structures can be rebuilt much faster than any other construction method can do.