Dubai Municipality has initiated a global competition to build the first residential villa in the world that is fully constructed with the help of robotic construction systems.
The project will be implemented in a local and international consortium headed by Dubai Municipality and including over 25 advanced technology firms and academic establishments.
The project seeks to come up with scalable models that can be used in future construction, enhance productivity, sustainability, and quality of construction, as well as make Dubai a center of hi-tech construction technologies.
The robotic villa project will be implemented through Zacua Ventures and Wurth Group, where construction robotics companies will be involved in the project together with local contractors and engineering firms.
It was announced at a ceremony celebrating the opening of the Construction Innovation and Research Centre (04 ConTech Valley) in collaboration with Expo City Dubai, after having signed an agreement to create a special center in innovative and research in the field of construction materials, systems, and technologies.
However, the center will focus on the creation of next-generation construction solutions, urban systems, and infrastructure of the future city. In addition to the event, Dubai Municipality also released the Global ConTech Report in partnership with Zacua Ventures.
This report examines the rapidly growing international use of construction technologies and construction projects to show that investment in the sector will surge to a point exceeding $30 billion by 2033 and a faster growth rate of 17.5 percent.
The report noted that labor shortages are one of the most acute problems of the global construction industry, which prompts more significant investments in technologies, including robotics and additive manufacturing.
It also points out the most influential technologies that influence the industry, among them being artificial intelligence, robotics, infrastructure technology, and prefabrication.
Dubai Municipality also established the ConTech Working Group, with the cooperation of Dubai Chambers, in which the government bodies, developers, contractors, technology suppliers, investors, and researchers convene to promote innovation and efficiency in the construction industry.
In its contribution to this ecosystem, Dubai Municipality entered into three cooperation contracts with Zacua Ventures, the Dubai Future District Fund, and LAB Ventures to assist startups in ensuring their access to the project, reinforcing their involvement in the sector ecosystem, and improving the research, development, and investment into future technologies while inviting construction technology firms around the globe to Dubai.
Marwan Ahmed bin Ghalita, Dubai Municipality Director-General, stated that the implementation of innovative construction technologies is one of the pillars of Dubai’s vision to create a more efficient, sustainable, and resilient construction industry with the help of a thorough and future-focused construction technology plan.
He stated, “The activation of 04 ConTech Valley, the launch of the ConTech Working Group in collaboration with Dubai Chambers, the signing of agreements with capital partners, and the announcement of the challenge to build the world’s first residential villa using robotic construction systems collectively underscore Dubai Municipality’s commitment to strengthening the innovation ecosystem within the construction sector.”
Dubai Municipality, in partnership with Sobha Realty, also introduced the 70-70 Strategy for 2030 that will see 70 percent of construction go off-site and 70 percent automation in the factory by 2030, contributing to better quality, efficiency, and sustainability of the sector.
During the event, partners from the public and private sectors, with construction technology startups, discussed opportunities and challenges within the construction ecosystem and highlighted a roadmap for construction technology development under Dubai Municipality’s leadership.
China State Construction Engineering Corporation is another modular construction system accredited by the Dubai Municipality as a new milestone in the smart construction standards and practices in Dubai.
Moreover, AMANA will embrace modular construction systems by ensuring that it creates common work areas among youth within public facilities, providing flexible and integrated working environments.
