Team4UA by HIT
We are a charity fund on a mission to introduce disruptive technologies in the humanitarian emergency response in Ukraine.
Team4UA is a Ukrainian charitable foundation that emerged in Spring 2022 with the aim of providing assistance to Ukraine and its citizens. Thanks to its sister charity HIT 501(c)(3), it may receive donations in the United States.
Initially, the foundation undertook the evacuation of refugees and the delivery of humanitarian aid, becoming a key partner to several UN agencies (WFP, UNICEF, IOM, Mercy Corps) in Ukraine.
The largest educational facility ever 3D-printed for displaced children in Lviv, Ukraine
Additionally, Team4UA began implementing projects for reconstruction, utilizing advanced 3D concrete printing technologies. Our pilot project is a 3D-printed school in Lviv. Why a school? Because it was identified as a priority by the Lviv City Council, which hosts hundreds of thousands of displaced persons. The project was implemented together with Team4UA's Danish partners COBOD and 3DCP Group, as well as the general contractor Rembud and subcontractor 7CI.
The prestigious Kyiv architect bureau Balbek designed the 506 square meter building to host 4 classrooms with a capacity of some 100 pupils. The building is an inclusive space capable of accommodating all categories of students, including those with special needs.
The construction took place in May-June 2023. Our teams were present on the site during six weeks in order to study and learn about the functioning of the COBOD 3D printer, to conduct some research and development and to welcome visiting delegations. The active phase of 3D printing the 506 square meter building took 40 hours.
The foundations and the walls are built. The whole structure was also thermo-insulated before the onset of winter. The next steps include installing windows and doors, carrying out engineering works (plumbing, electrical, etc.), and completing some interior design.
Team4UA is actively seeking new partners to quickly complete the construction of the school and to hand it over to teachers and pupils.
Click here to watch our documentary movie "How to 3D print a school in Ukraine in wartime"
Reconstruction with 3D concrete printing
Furthermore, the fund works on the project of a 3D-printed bridge, which is planned to be installed in the Kherson region. Team4UA is also considering other reconstruction projects in collaboration with the municipal and regional authorities of Mykolaiv.
3D Concrete Printing (3DCP) is an advanced technology that uses software to control the placement of materials to create a 3D object or structure using a robotic printer without standard formwork. This allows for the creation of complex geometries in a fully automated mode, providing greater efficiency in constructing complex concrete objects. This provides absolute freedom in architectural creativity and design.
The key advantages compared to traditional construction are numerous. Automation allows a team of 5 workers to operate per printer, reducing labor costs, minimizing risks, and increasing accuracy. The speed and quick execution allow printing up to 1 meter per minute. Environmental friendliness is ensured by efficient material use, waste reduction, the possibility of using only local materials or recycled debris from demolished buildings, and a smaller amount of cement than the standard concrete recipe, providing results 6 times stronger.
Reducing environmental impact involves reducing CO2 emissions by up to 70% compared to conventional construction methods through material savings of up to 50% with less cement in the concrete recipe. 3D concrete printing technology has already been tested in several countries worldwide, such as the USA, Germany, Kenya, Malawi, and others, for residential and commercial projects.