DEERFIELD BEACH, FL -- MAPEI Corporation, a leading manufacturer of construction materials for the building industry including Planitop 3D mortar / ink announces that our strategic partner, Black Buffalo 3D Corporation has been awarded the gold Global Innovation award from the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB). Selected from a field of over 70 applicants exhibiting a variety of innovations, the award is in recognition of the first 3D printed construction solution to comply with the International Code Council Evaluation Service’s (ICC-ES) standards for structural walls, ICC-ES AC509. The NAHB Global Innovation award recognizes the most advanced and cutting-edge original products, services, homes, communities and champions of the building industry from around the world. The recognition of the 3D system is an industry honor.

MAPEI Corporation is proud to have partnered with Black Buffalo 3D Corporation in the development of the proprietary 3D construction mortar / ink, Planitop 3D which is used in conjunction with Black Buffalo’s NEXCON 3D construction printers. The mortar /ink is the result of years of research, testing and evaluation from engineering and R&D teams from both companies. It provides a durable, repeatable and consistent mix that requires minimal effort on the jobsite. Contractors simply add water to the mortar / ink mix and add it to the 3D printer. The pre-programmed printer then prints the structural code-compliant walls.

“We congratulate Black Buffalo 3D on the NAHB Global Innovation award,” said Luigi Di Geso, president and CEO of MAPEI Corporation. “This industry recognition underscores a fact that we’ve known all along —that this 3D printing system developed by MAPEI and Black Buffalo 3D is industry-changing. The only 3D mortar/ink to be ICC-ES AC509 certified, walls that are printed with MAPEI’s Planitop3D and Black Buffalo 3D NEXCON printers can be considered equivalent to concrete masonry units (CMU)block. This is a huge shift in construction trends and will allow us to help address the scarcity of low-income housing in an innovative, efficient, and affordable manner. “

“Black Buffalo 3D has recognized that standardization will be the key to adoption. To date, every 3D printed construction project has been a ‘one-off’ exception or relied upon methods of traditional coding to be approved,” remarked Peter Cooperman, Black Buffalo 3D CMO. “Our goal in focusing so heavily in R&D and lab testing our technology is to move beyond pilots and see 3D construction printing technology become integrated with traditional construction projects globally.”

The 3D construction printing process is improving the way we build affordable housing and infrastructure, including industrial structures and emergency shelters. On-demand and on-site 3D printing is now a legitimate coded technology. Additional details can be found in ESR-4623 available through request online and ICC-ES. Planitop 3D is now available for sale directly through MAPEI for all 3D construction printers.