ABB Robotics teams with innovative tech start-up to deliver sustainable and affordable housing
CONTROL & AUTOMATION TRANSFORMATIVE TECHNOLOGY
ABB ROBOTICS
ABB Robotics teams with innovative tech start-up to deliver sustainable and affordable housing
ABB Robotics announced it is collaborating with UK-based tech start-up AUAR , to advance the use of robotic micro-factories to build affordable , sustainable low energy timber homes .
AUAR ’ s transformative approach to integrating robotic automation into the building process will tackle skills shortages , boost sustainability , and improve health and safety by deploying robots in a global network of local microfactories . These micro-factories will construct energy-efficient , affordable buildings from sheet timber . AUAR reports today that it has completed a £ 2.6M seed round led by deep-tech and AI fund Miles Ahead , alongside ABB Robotics & Automation Ventures and several other investors .
“ The increasing capabilities of robots enabled by vision and AI , coupled with their inherent speed , flexibility and consistency , makes them the ideal solution for meeting the growing need for affordable , high quality , sustainable housing ,” said Craig McDonnell , Managing Director Business Line Industries , ABB Robotics . “ With 95 percent * of building firms in our recent market survey describing sustainability as ‘ important ’ or ‘ very important ’ to their businesses , and 38 percent * seeing robots as a way of reducing waste , our collaboration with AUAR opens new possibilities for homebuilders to deliver affordable sustainable homes at scale .”
ABB is already heavily involved in helping construction companies automate their processes . ABB robots are widely used in a range of modular assembly and 3D printing building projects worldwide , as well as academic projects researching new ways to integrate robotic automation into construction .
The collaboration with AUAR follows the announcement by ABB working with German management consulting firm , Porsche Consulting , to develop innovative new practices in modular housing manufacture .
AUAR is the brainchild of two architects , Mollie Claypool ( CEO ) and Gilles Retsin ( CTO / Chief Architect ) who have worked for over 10 years on robotics , automation , construction , and architecture . During that time , they have relied extensively on support from ABB Robotics to realize their vision .
52 PECM Issue 68