3D Printing is Revolutionizing the Housing Industry

The housing industry is like a roller coaster. The housing crash left houses empty and people homeless. Some neighborhoods are still littered with empty and decaying homes, some having stood empty going on 10 years now.

By this point, a lot of these homes aren’t even worth repairing. Since the crash, there has been a lot of conversation, and demand, for more housing options.

And why not? Engineers have discovered cheaper, more eco-friendly and sustainable housing options. Why not use them?

Current homes were built between 40 and 100 years ago. They now show signs of wood rot, weakening foundation, insect infestations, and mold. And without modern insulation and windows, residents shoulder high power and heating costs.

These problems will only get worse as time goes on. But what’s going to replace them?

Will people build more of the same, or start building smarter?

New Era of Housing

If you imagine a “Jetsons” style future, you may be disappointed. Likely most structures will resemble current styles, but with hidden improvements in the materials and design.

When the market demands something new, the industry will eventually abide.

Alternatives to traditional homes are already popping up. And surprisingly, a lot of these options are significantly cheaper than current construction methods. Plus, many of these homes continue to save you money in efficiency in the long term.

How It Works:

3D printing a house works the same way as 3D printing on the smaller scale. Companies use a machine, choose from a range of building materials, program a layout, and then the machine does the work.

The early models of 3D printed homes created domed structures that looked more like cement igloos, and other easy shapes. But this technology is getting more sophisticated fast! Companies are developing more modern and complex models that will appeal to today’s market of home buyers.

What Problems Do 3D Printed Houses Solve?

3D printed homes are affordable

After the housing market crash, there are more people than ever on the search for cheaper housing options. Some models of the 3D printed homes can start as low as $4,000.

While there are some luxury features that you can add on for more, it’s still nothing compared to the cost of building a standard-model home.

Building materials are more eco-friendly

A lot of building materials used in 3D printing have a natural resistance to mold and insect infestations. 3D printed homes are built to be strong and sturdy while taking the environment into consideration.

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Comments (1)

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    tom0mason

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    One small thing but does annoy me …
    “Some neighborhoods are still littered with empty and decaying homes, some having stood empty going on 10 years now.”
    Empty and abandoned houses and apartments are just buildings. Empty buildings are not homes, they are potential homes. It is not until people live in these empty building that they become homes.
    Realtors, aka real estate sellers/agents, have over the year quite deliberately confused the language — ‘homes’ sounds so much nicer than ’empty houses’, or even ‘abandoned property’.
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    Also “Engineers have discovered cheaper, more eco-friendly and sustainable housing options.” and “A lot of building materials used in 3D printing have a natural resistance to mold and insect infestations. 3D printed homes are built to be strong and sturdy while taking the environment into consideration.”

    So what are they made of plastic? Plastic modified cement/concrete/clay/wood pulp? What fire resistance and longevity tests have been done for these materials. I see that via the link, to a link there is ‘hempcrete’ (an emulsion of hemp fibers and lime (powdered limestone)), see http://nationalhempassociation.org/some-interesting-faces-about-hempcrete-as-a-building-material/ . How well do these material survive heavy weather, earthquakes, etc. Are these materials resistant to forced entry — thieves and crooks entering using box-cutters?
    Most materials that are very resistant to mold and insect infestations are difficult to recycle. How does that fit with ‘sustainability’ ideas.
    And how can such construction methods be deemed ‘sustainable’ when so few of the buildings have been made using these methods and materials, and so there is only short term evidence of their durability and maintainability. If they are not durable with minimal maintenance, IMO, they are not ‘sustainable’.
    Considering there are many empty/abandoned buildings available, could not these ‘sustainable’ methods be used to improve this ready made stock of empty buildings?

    Oh well, I’d better get back to my cave …

    Reply

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