Cost Dynamics and Economies of Scale

Half of every 3D printed building in history was built in 2024.

In today's episode of Bricks and Bytes, we had Stephan Mansour, Director of Operations at Printerra and one of the leading voices in additive construction standards development. We got to learn about why 2025 might be the tipping point for 3D printing in construction, how a full concrete structure can harden in just 30 minutes, and what's really holding the industry back from mass adoption... and so much more.

Stephan's been in construction for nearly 20 years and led a pilot 3D printing project for Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Housing back in 2018. Since then, he's been instrumental in developing international standards that are finally giving this technology the credibility it needs.

Tune in to find out about:

✅ Why the "perfect storm" of labor shortages, climate disasters, and geopolitical instability is accelerating 3D printing adoption

✅ The $62 million contract ICON just landed with the US Army Corps of Engineers

✅ Dubai's mandate for 25% of buildings to be 3D printed by 2030 — and whether it's realistic

✅ The biggest mistake companies make when getting into 3D printing (hint: don't buy that printer you saw on YouTube)

✅ How standards development is the unsexy foundation that will unlock exponential growth

🎧 Listen now on Spotify and Youtube! Link in the comments

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Chapters

00:00 Intro

01:48 Introduction and Background 

04:15 The Current State of 3D Printing in Construction 

07:46 Understanding Additive Construction 

12:06 The Role of Standards in 3D Printing 

14:33 Challenges and Opportunities in Adoption 

15:01 How 3D Printing Works in Construction 

20:17 Real-World Applications of 3D Printing 

24:15 The Future of 3D Printing in Construction

32:42 Evaluating 3D Printing Technologies 

38:02 Cost Considerations in 3D Printing 

39:25 Learning Curve and Workforce Development 

41:49 Design Flexibility in 3D Printing 

43:51 Investor Perspectives on 3D Printing 

46:07 The Impact of COVID on 3D Printing Adoption 

47:43 Material Limitations and Environmental Factors 

51:13 Key Players in the 3D Printing Industry 

54:19 Future of 3D Printing in Construction