Tailoring 3D printing for personalized housing: selecting the right technology for custom home construction

Construction of 3D printing (C3DP) is emerging as a transformative method globally, addressing labour shortages in developed nations while offering cost-effective and sustainable solutions for developing countries. This study investigates the most suitable C3DP technologies for application in developing contexts, focusing on their compatibility with unique geographic, cultural, and socio-economic conditions. The research analyses eight leading C3DP companies, ranked by 2024 performance, through representative house-scale case studies. Using secondary data, construction processes, machine capacities, project durations, and services were examined. Concurrently, a pilot study in Sri Lanka identified typical housing characteristics, resulting in a context-specific house typology. A five-tier evaluation framework, geographic adaptability, material compatibility, infrastructure readiness, regulatory framework, and sustainability, was used to assess each technology’s suitability. Results reveal significant variability among C3DP technologies, underscoring that no single solution fits all contexts. For countries like Sri Lanka, technology adoption must align with local housing demands to ensure user acceptance. The study highlights the relative suitability of different technologies within typical Sri Lankan housing constraints and offers strategic insights for context-responsive selection. This study serves as a foundational step in evaluating the readiness for C3DP adoption in developing countries, underscoring the importance of context-specific technological assessment to drive industry advancement.