DFAB Insights Column: DFAB Innovations go Global

What do Japan’s aging workforce, quality control in Singapore, and national security in Saudi Arabia have in common? They are all serious constraints facing ambitious construction projects for companies in each region – and in all three cases the decision-makers think that digital fabrication will be the solution. In this opening column of DFAB Insights, Russell Loveridge, Managing Director of the NCCR Digital Fabrication, shares personal reflections from international engagements and what they signal for the global future of building.

Russell Loveridge and Prof. Yusuke Obuchi (University of Tokyo) meet with senior construction leaders at the Swiss Embassy in Tokyo. Photo by Russell Loveridge

As the NCCR Digital Fabrication enters its final year as an NCCR, we are intensifying our efforts to transfer knowledge and innovation into practice – not only with our Swiss partners but increasingly on an international stage. Over the past three years, this transfer has taken form through joint industry-academic collaboration, pilot projects, and the emergence of spin-off companies. More recently, we have begun to engage with global architecture and construction leaders to explore how our research can address critical construction challenges around the world.

In February I had the privilege of being invited to Japan to present the NCCR DFAB to academic colleagues at Universities in Kyoto and Tokyo, in the cultural setting of Swissnex in Japan, and to construction and technology industry representatives at a reception hosted by the Swiss Embassy in Tokyo. As a follow on to these events I was fortunate to have bilateral meetings with senior executives from Obayashi, Shimizu, Kajima and Takenaka – four of the largest construction firms in Japan. Although these companies are strong competitors, they all face the same challenge – an aging workforce of construction experts, and very few young workers who are training to replace them. Each company, independently, have expressed strong interest in the innovations of the NCCR DFAB and wish to better understand our views on the-state-of-the-art of digital and even autonomous construction technologies. With Japan’s well-established appreciation for robotics and automation, the potential for collaboration is promising. We aim to build on these discussions to support future solutions that address the growing skills gap.

Global Networking and Exchange

In March, I traveled to Singapore to attend BuildTech Asia 2025 and the annual buildingSMART International Summit – two events that drew AEC leaders from across Southeast Asia. One of the primary themes voiced in both forums was a desire to raise construction quality, despite having to work with low-skilled labor. The challenge presented here is twofold; first to better monitor the workflow and improve reporting and controls, and second to improve overall build quality and reduce fault claims. Many stakeholders echoed a belief that digital tools, automation, and prefabrication will be essential to bringing enhanced order and new controls into projects, and this in turn will help greatly in achieving this goal.

At the same conference I also held discussions with representatives of the construction sector from Saudi Arabia. Aside from the incredulous projects that are regularly in the press – I learned that there is also a huge need for infrastructure and civil works – and that the scope of this planning far exceeds the work capacity available. Imported labour clearly has social, political and security challenges, and it is understood that future projects need to address these humanitarian aspects directly. Resultantly, there is great interest in digital fabrication and its deployment for serial production in large scale infrastructure projects. There is the hope – and strategy – that through the serial development of components for civil projects - technologies and know-how can be cyclically advanced, perfected and eventually applied to highly bespoke architectural work downstream.

Building a Global Ecosystem

In each case, with each of these international groups – there is a huge interest in the innovations and knowledge development that have occurred in the NCCR Digital Fabrication. In every conversation, our research was seen as significantly advanced, thoroughly developed and extremely robust across disciplines and fields of expertise. As the NCCR's Managing Director, I not only promote our work and projects, but also support and endorse our spin-off companies – who can already provide real-world-ready solutions for immediate implementation. This work is paying off: New international projects are emerging, investments are being made, and the global DFAB network is growing stronger.

About DFAB Insights

For over a decade the National Centre of Competence in Research Digital Fabrication (NCCR DFAB) has advanced digital fabrication for architecture and construction. Behind the scenes the management and technical staff of the centre have developed unique programmes and networks and have acted as both global ambassadors and innovation scouts. As NCCR DFAB work and transfer have both progressed, the NCCR DFAB staff regularly connect with innovators, academia, industry and civic leaders around the world. These exchanges ensure that our researchers are aware of international work, informed of the current challenges for industry, and that we are leading the state of the art. In this column series, our team shares reflections from such encounters — offering unique perspectives on how different cultures, technologies, and ideas are shaping the future of construction.