In September, a bricklaying robot constructed a three-bedroom house in East Yorkshire’s Everingham. The developers claim it’s the first house in the UK to be built by a robot.
The robot, developed by Construction Automation, laid all the bricks, blocks, and cement and could even “build around corners.” The company believes the machine could eventually build better quality homes, increase productivity, and improve safety and health on construction sites.
Since the robot is mounted on a track that sits on a 9m (30ft) high vertical frame, it eliminates “the need for scaffolding and for people to work at height.”
Construction Automation was formed by entrepreneurs Stuart Parkes and David Longbottom in May 2016. Longbottom notes that extensive research verified there is “no house-building robot in use like this.”
The machine was controlled via a tablet and used “a sophisticated software control system” to read digitized architectural plans. At least two workers must operate the machine, load bricks and cement into the robot, and perform essential work, including pointing and installing damp-proof coursing.
Longbottom said:
Our goal is to automate house-building as far as we can. By doing this, we can increase productivity for the industry, improve health and safety, and guarantee quality.
However, the union Unite warns that automation “could be a recipe for mass unemployment and rising inequality”. According to the National Careers Service, a bricklaying apprenticeship takes about two years, while an average salary starts at £17,000 to £40,000 for experienced.
Another building; a two-story house was recently constructed by Europe’s largest 3D printer. The house was built entirely on-site.
