3D-printed houses were figments of our imagination 10 years ago, but now it’s going mainstream.
Developers estimate they can build new homes in with 3 days of ‘printing time’ and 3 workers. Some say 3D-printing could solve the affordable housing crisis.
America’s first 3D-printed house is going to the market with a market value of $299,000. Located in Long Island, New York, is a three-bedroom property comprised of two-bathrooms and a garage. The house features over 1,400 square-feet, and the garage covers 750 sqft with all amenities you can think of. Yes, that includes air condition and gas heating, according to Realtor.com. All inclusive of a 50-year guarantee.
Even though the house is located in a small town of Riverhead, the novel building method makes it inexpensive in a naturally pricey area.
The building process involves programming robots to replace the labour needed. 3D-printing firm SQ4D predicts this new method will change the construction industry ‘forever’. The firm says that ‘autonomous robotic construction systems’ (ARCS) can reduce total costs by up to 70 percent, and boost production by a factor of three.
The Riverhead home and SQ4D’s 3D-printed practice home in Calverton are from Long Island.
International 3D Printing
Although a lot of press is covering America’s 3D-printing journey, let’s shed light on some international projects.
Dubai built the world’s first 3D-printed commercial building, according to Guinness World Records. Currently housing the Dubai Future Academy, the building covers 2,600 sqft and stands 20-feet high. However, due to the unique cement mixture this building took 17 days to print. To build the interior design alone it took nearly 3 months.
France printed its first family home…in 2018. Located in Nantes is a four-bedroom 1,022 sqft property that took around 54 hours to print. The contractors needed an additional 4 months to add windows, roofs, and doors.
Spain revealed its first 3D-printed bridge found in Castilla-La Mancha Park in Alcobendas. The construction process took a year and a half since conception to open in December, 2016.
