Bahrain embraces 3D-printed homes, adopts GCC code

TDT | Manama                                                        

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com

Reported by Mahir Haneef

Bahrain yesterday announced the adoption of the GCC building code for the construction sector in the country, which allows popular and affordable technologies such as 3D printing.

Commonly known as the Gulf Building Code (GBC), it references over a thousand international standards and promotes sustainability and affordability in the construction of residential and commercial buildings.

The GBC also allows the use of new technologies such as 3D printing and off-site construction, as well as facilitates improved energy efficiency. The Ministry of Industry and Trade issued a resolution (No. 102 of 2023) concerning the adoption of Gulf standard specifications for the construction sector and adopting them as national standard specifications.

The GBC was issued by the Standardization Organization for the Arab Gulf Cooperation Council Countries (GSO). Through the resolution by the Ministry, it has also been decided to cancel all previous decisions issued regarding the adoption of standard specifications for the construction sector.

The new resolution, issued on November 15th, came into effect in the Kingdom yesterday. GBC was developed in consultation with the International Code Council (ICC) and is being adopted across the GCC region.

Adoption of the GBC is expected to bring the latest advances in building safety, affordability, and sustainability, along with being a driving force for innovation and safety improvements in the building design and construction sectors. It was in 2016 that the Washington DC-based ICC began collaborating with the GCC countries to develop a new common building code.