ETH Zurich’s Impact Printing: A Breakthrough in Sustainable Construction
The innovative team at ETH Zurich is making waves in the construction world with their new method, Impact Printing. This groundbreaking technique utilizes Earth-based materials, such as sand, silt, clay, and gravel, to construct environmentally friendly structures. As detailed in their publication in Springer Nature, Impact Printing promises to be a greener and more cost-effective alternative to traditional 3D printing methods.
ETH Zurich’s research team, guided by Lauren Vasey, a prominent SNSF Bridge Fellow, has developed a method to turn materials excavated from construction sites into usable building products. By avoiding cement and opting for locally-sourced materials, they achieve significantly lower carbon emissions. Impressively, the materials used in Impact Printing require minimal additives, cutting the need for cement and enhancing sustainability.
This process involves a robotic tool that, guided by a digital blueprint, applies Earth-based material layers at high speeds, creating robust structures without needing chemical stabilizers. Despite using a small percentage of mineral stabilizers, the ETH Zurich team aims to eliminate these for a fully recyclable construction method.
The research indicates that structures built using Impact Printing can support substantial weight from the start, offering advantages in structural integrity and environmental impact. Using this technology, the team has successfully erected walls up to 6.5 feet tall, showcasing the method’s practicality in real-world applications.
Beyond ETH Zurich, a global wave of research is similarly focused on sustainable construction practices. For example, the University of Virginia is developing a sustainable concrete alternative using graphene and limestone-calcined clay, showing significant environmental benefits. Meanwhile, Berlin’s TU and Brunel University are enhancing 3D printing concrete by incorporating recycled materials, revealing steps toward more sustainable construction.
The ultimate vision involves developing a prefabrication facility to bring Impact Printing technology to the market, bridging the gap between innovative research and practical construction solutions. If successful, it could significantly transform the industry, presenting a viable alternative to current 3D printing methods, reducing the environmental footprint and offering more sustainable urban development solutions.
More Articles
Getting licensed or staying ahead in your career can be a journey—but it doesn’t have to be overwhelming. Grab your favorite coffee or tea, take a moment to relax, and browse through our articles. Whether you’re just starting out or renewing your expertise, we’ve got tips, insights, and advice to keep you moving forward. Here’s to your success—one sip and one step at a time!
Bluerate.ai—formerly MyMortgageRates—is stepping into 2025 with a mission to modernize a mortgage process that has barely changed in decades. Built by Zeitro, the platform equips both borrowers and loan officers with powerful AI tools, from online pre‑qualification and automated financial data extraction to instant guideline answers and scenario analysis. With more than 3,000 verified NMLS‑licensed loan officers and real‑time rate comparisons from major lenders, Bluerate.ai is quickly becoming a must‑know platform for mortgage and real estate professionals seeking speed, clarity, and a fully digital lending experience.
After the longest government shutdown in U.S. history, key federal housing programs such as FHA, VA, USDA, and NFIP are officially back in operation—offering long‑awaited relief to agents, lenders, and insurance professionals. But with a six‑week backlog slowing everything from loan guarantees to flood-insurance renewals, real estate pros should brace for delays and focus on resetting client expectations. A new federal spending deal restores funding through early 2026 and gives the market room to breathe, while NAR’s aggressive advocacy helped push the government toward reopening. Now, professionals who communicate clearly and stay on top of regulatory updates will be best positioned to guide clients through the temporary turbulence.
Commercial real estate is rapidly shifting toward a digital-first model, with platforms like Crexi leading the charge. By unifying property data, AI-driven insights, transparent bidding, and streamlined transaction tools, digital marketplaces are becoming essential to how modern CRE deals are sourced, analyzed, and closed. With more than 2 million monthly users and over $1 trillion in facilitated transactions, Crexi showcases how technology is reshaping the industry and giving real estate professionals a powerful competitive edge.
Europe’s biggest landlords—including Aroundtown, Vonovia, and top global investors—have teamed up to launch ATechX, a powerful new accelerator giving proptech startups something they rarely get: access to real buildings, real customers, and a clear path to scale across multiple countries. Designed to move founders beyond “pilot purgatory,” ATechX offers a true sandbox for innovation in Europe’s aging, regulation‑heavy property market, helping promising technology reach commercial traction faster than ever.
Mortgage rates are finally easing, inventory is climbing, and buyers are gaining leverage for the first time in years — yet sky‑high prices and economic jitters are keeping many on pause. With economists warning that inflation could push rates higher again, this fall may offer a rare window for well‑prepared buyers. Here’s what’s driving the shift, where opportunities are emerging, and how real estate professionals can stay ahead.
Griffin Funding has appointed John Jones as Senior Vice President of Growth and EOS Integrator, aiming to scale the company toward a $3 billion annual non-QM volume goal by 2030. After serving in fractional leadership roles since April 2025, Jones now steps in full‑time to lead organizational structure, efficiency, market expansion, and cross‑department alignment. Backed by strong liquidity and rising deal volume, Griffin Funding appears positioned for major industry impact in the years ahead.
