Are Buildings Becoming Intelligent, Self-Healing Systems?

Building trends are moving toward intelligentization and even self-healing capabilities. This may sound incredible, but with current technology, is it actually achievable?

First, from the perspective of construction, 3D printing technology has already demonstrated its feasibility in the automated construction of low-rise buildings through real-world projects. Digital twin technology, when applied to this process, can further enable real-time process monitoring and optimization of the printing path, improving construction efficiency and accuracy. In recent years, 3D printing technology already has real-world precedents; for example, China’s WinSun Decoration Design Engineering, the United States’ ICON + Lake Austin Community, and the UAE’s (Dubai) Office of the Future are all successful cases.

Second, building intelligence generally refers to external systems such as energy management, security systems, and data infrastructure. With the development of nanomaterials such as carbon nanotube (CNT)-reinforced composites with self-sensing behavior, intelligent buildings are no longer limited to external components but also extend to the internal state of the building structure itself. With the integration of CNTs, it enables the monitoring of structural responses of the building, enabling real-time intelligent structural monitoring through intrinsic material responses. This system is particularly significant in cold regions, where insulation systems need to be embedded and where structural conditions (walls and floors) can be monitored more effectively through integrated sensing functions.

Third, the self-healing capability of concrete structures, enabled by microbial concrete, can gently and automatically seal cracks. Different from other self-healing materials, this material can potentially offer higher long-term sustainability potential because its bacteria-based system can provide repeated autonomous healing under favorable conditions. Since then, research has increasingly focused on self-healing functionality. Recently, although microbial concrete can repair cracks of up to merely 1 mm in width, in terms of autonomous (biologically triggered) crack repair mechanisms, this development is already considered a significant breakthrough in the scientific community, marking a new milestone.

Nevertheless, these three functional components have not yet been integrated into a unified system. The main issue is that the mix designs of 3D-printed cement, nanocement, and microbial cement are not compatible with one another. When mixed, the setting time of the concrete cannot match the printing pace of 3D printing. Moreover, such a mixture is neither suitable for microbial survival nor stable, as chemical and biological interactions may affect nanomaterial stability. Although intelligent and self-healing buildings are not out of reach for current technology, bringing these three currently incompatible cement components together remains a formidable challenge that requires overcoming numerous obstacles.

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