The Earth Build Project

Aim

The Earth Build Project combines cutting edge technology with natural materials to 3D print healthy, greener buildings.

THE EARTH BUILD PROJECT

Pioneering 3D printed earth construction in the UK.

The Earth Build Project is pioneering a new method of construction that combines our most ancient building material, earth, with modern digital 3D printing technology.

We are raising funds to support the next stage of our journey of research and development. Powered by the urgent need to build healthy homes and buildings in a fast and cost effective way, our Earth Build system aims to address two key imperatives: lowering construction costs whilst reducing harm to the environment. 

The construction industry is over-reliant on concrete, made through a process that heats cement limestone to a temperature of 1500°C, releasing large quantities of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. 

Our work challenges this harmful practice by focusing on the development of a wall system that incorporates only natural biomaterials - earth, waste fibres and timber - bypassing carbon intensive modern building materials including concrete, steel, brick and block. 

We expect to be able to meet UK Building Standards by 2027, and be ready to licence our technology by 2028/29, so that habitable, low-carbon, low-cost earth buildings can become a reality.

3DPE (3D printed earth)

Earth has been widely used as a building material throughout the world for centuries.  Here in the UK we have been building with cob - a mix of clay-rich earth, sand, water and straw - for hundreds of years, so we know it can withstand the UK climate indefinitely.

Our challenge is to make a material that is extrudable - printable - without compromising its structural and thermal properties; a material that is strong and not prone to shrinking or cracking when the temperature changes.

The process of 3D printing with earth involves pumping an earthen material mix through a hose attached to a large robot, and extruding it along a pathway determined by a digitally-generated design. 

This pioneering process creates a planet-friendly, low-impact building material with substantial time and energy efficiencies. 

Here's the Problem....

We are facing a severe housing crisis, alongside an urgent and escalating environmental crisis. These issues demand innovative and systemic solutions.

The construction industry releases a massive amount of carbon into the atmosphere, contributing an estimated 39% of global annual CO2 emissions, primarily from the creation of building materials like cement and steel. 

Modern homes are built using avoidable and inexcusable amounts of chemicals that over time leak out into the atmosphere creating unhealthy living conditions. 

We recognise that the UK needs faster, greener, healthier and cheaper ways to build. Existing construction methods can’t deliver this. 

Our low carbon approach.....

Our pioneering construction system uses robotic printing technology and natural biomaterials to create habitable, high-performance buildings. 

The Earth Build Project is pioneering a pathway to dramatically reduce the construction industry's carbon footprint while delivering homes that are faster and cheaper to build, therefore more affordable, and inherently healthier for their occupants.

Our distinct approach uses locally sourced excavated earth mixed with bio-materials, to form the primary wall structure. This sustainable, carbon-neutral material offers superior breathability and thermal comfort, transforming a waste product into the core of a high-performance home. The material is ideally suited for use as part of a palette of natural materials. 

We expect to prove the viability of 3D-printed earth for construction in the UK, meeting all rigorous UK Building Standards, by 2027. This milestone will pave the way for the commercial scaling of the EarthBuild system, offering a robust, sustainable, and economically compelling alternative to conventional construction methods.

Material Science and Robotics

At our East Midlands research facility, we are developing the necessary technical expertise and trialling bio-materials and natural additives to enhance the structural stability, weather resistance, and thermal performance of our earth mix to ensure it can exceed modern standards.

We are developing robotic large-scale printing technology and systems to precisely, quickly, and reliably 3D-print a natural earth mixture, layer-by-layer.

Academic partnerships enable us to access expertise and state-of-the-art knowledge, providing access to lab testing facilities.  Our partners include the universities of Cardiff, Cambridge, Plymouth, Oxford Brookes, MIT, Swinburne University of Technology (Australia), IAAC (Institute of Advanced Architecture of Catalonia), and EBUKI (Earth Build UK & Ireland).

Our Product’s Key Benefits 

Combining ancient traditional earthen building materials with 21st-century robotic 3D-printing technology, will enable us to deliver wall systems for habitable buildings that are:

Up to 50% faster to construct - robotic printing cuts the wall build-up time from months to weeks.

Up to 20% cheaper to build - localised material sourcing (on-site earth) and automated labour reduce material and labour expenses.

Produce near-zero embodied carbon - using earth and natural waste fibres keeps embodied carbon minimal, setting a new sustainability standard.

Aesthetically unique - robotic printing allows for complex, organic architectural forms that are impossible or too costly conventionally.

Suitable for rendering with natural materials including clay plaster. 

Energy efficient & breathable - earthen walls naturally regulate indoor temperature, while the material's breathability ensures superior air quality and comfort, significantly reducing mechanical heating/cooling needs and eliminating the chemical pollutants that are ubiquitous in most modern homes.

Our team....

We are a passionate and dedicated team of experts in architecture, technology, and sustainable construction with the diverse skill set needed to tackle the unique challenges of 3D printing with earth. We believe in collaboration, not competition. Creating community is at the heart of our work. 

What your money will pay for.....

Your financial contribution to the Earth Build Project will support innovation that delivers both environmental responsibility and social benefit.

Your donation will help fund a truly sustainable alternative to the harmful practices of the construction industry, a major environmental polluter. 

Money raised will: 

Fund research to validate a near-zero embodied carbon, circular, waste-derived building material that directly addresses climate change.

Support pioneering green-tech in the UK, enabling the advancement of proprietary material science and large-scale robotics, establishing a blueprint for sustainable manufacturing.

The UK needs faster, cheaper, and greener homes. Your donation will accelerate this:

Cutting wall construction time from months to weeks, accelerates housing delivery for councils and housing associations.

Building homes that naturally regulate indoor temperature provides a high level of thermal comfort and lowers energy costs for heating and cooling.

Delivering buildings that are low-carbon and low-cost, benefits both people and planet.

We welcome your contribution and look forward to taking you with us on our extraordinary journey.  

Funding method

Keep what you raise – this project will receive all pledges made by 30th September 2026 at 11:59pm