#3DStartup: Parastruct Drives Sustainability in the Construction Sector

The startup Parastruct has attracted attention, especially after winning in the “Waste Management and Recycling” category from Kurier magazine. With innovative solutions that follow the principles of circular production, the company is at the forefront when it comes to pursuing a sustainable path in the construction sector. But that is not all. In our interview with Parastruct’s founder, Georg Breitenberger, he tells us about the philosophy behind circular production, the goals of the young company, and gives a comprehensive overview of the technologies Parastruct uses. The former master bricklayer draws on numerous sources of experience, from his artisanal training to study trips in Taiwan, to help shape Parastruct’s way of operating. Read the interview and discover the behind-the-scenes of Parastruct!

3DN: Could you briefly introduce yourself and tell us how you first got involved with 3D printing?

My name is Georg Breitenberger, and I am a master bricklayer by trade. I later studied civil engineering and business administration, and then worked for a time in real estate development and the precast concrete industry. In 2021, I decided to found Parastruct. At Parastruct, we develop sustainable materials from biogenic and mineral waste. We create these materials for 3D printing in the construction industry and foster collaborative projects between machinery manufacturers and 3D printing solution providers.

I first came into contact with 3D printing about ten years ago, almost by chance. I have always been interested in new technologies, and during my rather dull studies, I learned about 3D concrete printing through a friend. By coincidence, I was working at a laboratory in a technical testing and research institute at the time. This eventually led to a larger project at a university in Taiwan, which at that time was the only source of funding for our project. Later, the precast concrete industry took notice, and I subsequently developed 3D printers and materials for various companies.

3DN: How was Parastruct founded, and what is its mission?

I founded Parastruct to implement my own vision in the field of 3D printing for the construction industry, where I saw enormous potential for 3D printing processes, especially powder-based printing. Binder jetting will revolutionize component production and is the most powerful tool the construction industry has to address future challenges such as sustainability issues, skilled labor shortages, increased productivity, and price stability.

What we do at Parastruct is what we call Circular Advanced Manufacturing. Through our sustainable materials and 3D printing methods, we aim to make construction more functional, sustainable, customizable, and affordable. The construction industry is the largest emitter of CO2 and the biggest producer of waste. We use biogenic and mineral waste, combine it with our low-carbon binders, and produce sustainable and cost-effective 3D printing materials.

3DN: What technologies and materials do you use, and why?

We use certain in-house recycling methods to extract and reactivate mineral binders from waste and byproducts. We use these binders to create sustainable materials for the conventional construction industry, especially for the precast concrete sector. But we also develop materials for 3D printing processes. Here, we work with Contour Crafting (an extrusion process), Selective Binder Activation and Paste Intrusion (a powder-based printing process), as well as Mineral Binder Lithography, a new process developed by Parastruct. Each of these 3D printing technologies has its own advantages, disadvantages, and applications. It is essential to understand them thoroughly to create meaningful products from these technologies. Printing an entire house is not economically viable.

Additionally, we only use biogenic and mineral materials. Most of the time, these are waste materials and byproducts that we convert into 3D printing materials that are sustainable and non-toxic. Thanks to our binder recycling, these materials can also be reused after their lifecycle.

3DN: We understand that you focus on circular production. How do you implement this circularity?

For us at Parastruct, circularity is not just an ecological principle but a technological design framework. We implement it on multiple levels, using innovative materials, circular processes, and digital manufacturing technologies like 3D printing. Our company concept is built on four main pillars:

• Use of circular raw materials: Our construction materials are made from industry byproducts, such as steel mill slag or biogenic waste (like wood flour, hemp, or rice husks). Otherwise, these materials would be discarded as waste, but we use them as the basis for sustainable materials.
• Recovery and recycling of mineral binders: One of our technological priorities is cement recycling. We recover binders from demolished concrete and reuse them. This allows, for the first time, the true circulation of mineral construction materials that were previously simply dumped or recycled at the end of their lifecycle.
• Additive manufacturing: Our circular materials are specially developed for 3D printing processes. 3D printing not only enables optimized and material-efficient construction but also allows locally adapted production with short supply chains.
• Reuse and modular design: Our materials and formats are designed to follow the principle of disassemblability. Printed components can later be separated, disassembled, and reused or recycled without losing quality.

3DN: What are your biggest current challenges?

The biggest challenges in Europe are securing funding for promising, disruptive technologies. There are also significant gaps in mindset when it comes to new technologies. When I first worked with 3D concrete printing in Austria ten years ago, I was laughed at. Especially in German-speaking countries, there is a strong focus on preserving established processes and technologies, which simultaneously leads to a loss of competitiveness. I encourage the 3D printing community to form partnerships where each participant contributes their core competencies, allowing the greatest leverage possible. Only then can we truly advance 3D printing in Europe.

3DN: Can you give us a preview of your upcoming projects?