3D printing technology for housing construction projects in Malaysia: the perceptions of construction stakeholders

The global construction landscape is undergoing a paradigm shift driven by Construction 4.0 and the Fourth Industrial Revolution (IR 4.0). Despite its potential for small-scale residential projects, Three-Dimensional Concrete Printing (3DCP) technology remains in its infancy within the Malaysian construction industry. This study investigates the readiness of the industry by assessing construction stakeholder’s perceptions of its potential, suitable technological approaches, and best implementation practices. Utilizing a mixed-methods questionnaire survey analysed through descriptive statistics and thematic coding, the research identifies critical drivers and barriers to adoption. The findings provide a strategic framework for best practices, offering a roadmap for stakeholders to integrate 3DCP into the Malaysian housing market effectively. The results show that the perception of respondents regarding the potential of 3DCP technology for housing construction project is very high in minimising time in construction and generally, high potential of enhancing housing project delivery in Malaysia, with moderate to high opinion on the potential to minimise waste, reliance on foreign labour, long-term costs and the better quality of housing. Hybrid applications gained by using 3D printed parts with traditional construction and low-rise housing are considered the most appropriate ones, and extrusion-based 3D concrete printing and modular 3D printing are also considered the most appropriate, but with lower confidence. Among the best practices emerging are the formulation of clear guidelines and standards, specialised training, government, industry and academia collaboration and the pilot housing project, but it seems that the lack of skilled personnel, unclear regulations, high initial equipment cost and low public awareness are seen as the key detractors. Malaysian stakeholders recognise 3DCP’s potential to save time, waste, and labour in housing construction project. However, they emphasize that mainstream success depends on better standards, specialized training, and the use of local materials.