The UAE’s Ministry of Infrastructure Development will construct all its future buildings employing 3D-printing, according to a ministry official, reported Khaleej Times on Sunday.

“All the buildings to be built in the future by the ministry across the UAE will be 3D-printed,” said Munira Abdul Kareem, Manager of the ministry’s Project Execution Department.

She also stated that 3D-printing would cut construction costs by 80%, the construction time by 70% and the needed manpower by 50%. The ministry will also organise workshops and other initiatives to support sustainable infrastructure development.

The coming-of-age of 3D-printing is considered by some experts to be a major development in terms of construction, possibly cutting costs, time and manpower requirements dramatically. The world’s first fully 3D printed building debuted in Dubai this past May, and 3D building standards were incorporated into the UAE Smart Buildability Index that launched in October.