- Companies will collaborate to build ConstrucThor, a groundbreaking research facility in Belgium
- Project bridges academia and industry to advance sustainable living
- ABB robots and software are key components of AUAR’s micro-factory, demonstrating sustainable and affordable home construction
ABB Robotics and construction technology company AUAR are working together to build “ConstrucThor”, a groundbreaking research facility in Belgium, showcasing the future of sustainable construction. The project will harness AUAR’s micro-factories technology and is assembled using an automated construction process powered by ABB robots. Once completed, the state-of-the-art facility will serve as a living laboratory dedicated to researching energy-neutral infrastructure and climate-neutral building materials.
“The global construction industry, responsible for 40% of global CO2 emissions, is working to build in more eco-friendly and sustainable ways, while overcoming skills shortages and increasing productivity,” said Craig McDonnell, Managing Director Business Line Industries at ABB Robotics. “To support this transition, robotic automation can play a substantial role, by reducing waste and addressing the environmental and workforce challenges that construction companies face today.”
The ConstrucThor project will create a climate-neutral, large-scale testing infrastructure at the OpenThor Living Lab in Thor Park, Genk, Belgium. This educational initiative brings together various research lines from Belgium’s renowned KU Leuven University and industry partners to develop strategies and solutions for advancing towards a climate-neutral building industry.
“We are incredibly proud and honored that our technology is being used to build this pioneering facility, which is a testament to AUAR and ABB’s shared commitment towards innovation and sustainable construction practices,” said Mollie Claypool, Co-Founder and CEO of AUAR. “Our automated modular construction micro-factories directly address the challenges within the industry – reducing cost, timing and carbon footprint of building houses – and this project will prove that our innovative building concept will be integral in developing future sustainable societies.”
“The collaboration between AUAR and ABB Robotics presents an exciting vision for the future of building and construction. Through the ConstrucThor project, we expanded this vision by experimenting with reused wood for modular walls. This approach not only integrates robotics and modular design but also emphasizes circularity," said Tim Verhetsel, ConstrucThor Project Coordinator at KU Leuven.
Together, AUAR and ABB Robotics have been working on automating building processes with robotic mobile micro-factories that build cost-effective and high-quality timber frame panels for walls, floors and roofs. AUAR’s automated construction system uses ABB’s cutting-edge robotics for executing tasks such as modular assembly which help to optimize the construction process. These advanced robots, equipped with vision and AI capabilities, boost speed, flexibility, and consistency, so panels and housing structures can be made quickly, with reduced waste. For example, a robotic micro-factory can manufacture the core and shell of a single home in less than 12 hours, which can then be assembled on-site rapidly.
AUAR and ABB have developed an innovative approach to deploying robots in a global network of local micro-factories, allowing housing to be manufactured close to its final locations with minimal onsite construction required. Demonstrating the potential of this method, AUAR has already launched micro-factories in the UK, Belgium, and the US, including two in the Midwest. Next year, they plan to expand this network to a total of 10 micro-factories, adding seven partners across Europe and North America.
For more information visit: go.abb/robotics-construction
1 https://www.iea.org/energy-system/buildings
ABB Robotics & Discrete Automation as one of the world’s leading robotics and machine automation suppliers, is the only company with a comprehensive and integrated portfolio covering robots, Autonomous Mobile Robots and machine automation solutions, designed and orchestrated by our value-creating software. We help companies of all sizes and sectors - from automotive to electronics and logistics – to outperform by becoming more resilient, flexible and efficient. ABB Robotics & Discrete Automation supports customers in the transition towards the connected and collaborative factory of the future, operating leaner and cleaner for a better future. The business area employs approximately 11,000 people at over 100 locations in approximately 53 countries. go.abb/robotics
Automated Architecture (AUAR) is building an automated construction platform for sustainable housing. AUAR is the only construction tech company that has cracked both the technology and the business model to scale. The whole construction value chain – homebuilders, developers and manufacturers – rely on our platform from design to manufacturing. We have developed a product suite of Robotic Micro-Factories and AUAR MasterBuilder, a design-to-manufacturing software, that increases opportunity, efficiencies, predictability and oversight, while significantly reducing financial risk and environmental costs. This approach enables our customers to deliver on the housing demand that currently outpaces the market’s ability to supply. Our customers access our platform through our ‘No Capex’ Hardware-as-a-Service/Design-as-a-Service business model. By 2030 AUAR will grow to over £1bn in revenue with over 100,000 carbon-negative homes being produced by our customers in more than 10 geographies. Learn more: Website | LinkedIn
