One of the fastest-moving tech trends today is in 3D-printed construction such as 3D-printed dwellings (let’s call them 3DDs). The 3DDs could solve everything from housing the homeless to habitats on Mars, and 3DDs are not just a cool concept, structures using this technology are popping up all over the world.

3D-printing construction’s roots

Exploring the possibilities of 3D printing for automated construction started in the ’90s using various forms of cement and ceramic paste. By the mid-2000s, 3D printing was used in several construction projects, including a five-story apartment building in China in 2015. In 2017, a 40-foot span pedestrian bridge was 3D-printed in Madrid, Spain. CLS Architetti and Arup, one of the world’s premier design and engineering firms, built a 3D-printed house prototype for the 2018 Milan Design Week event.

Arup recently partnered with MX3D, a Dutch startup, to 3D-print a fully functional stainless-steel bridge to be installed in Amsterdam.

Rapid progress

Major barriers over the last few years have been removed, thanks to improvements in construction materials, reduction in the cost per square-foot, increases in the size of the building footprint, reduction in the time-to-cure to near-real-time and improved weight-bearing properties which allow viable multistory printing. Although 3D-printed construction is still in the early stages of its growth curve, several factors are colliding at this moment in time to propel it from 0 to 60 faster than ever: 1) the worldwide housing crisis and 2) the technology overlays of AI, robotics, virtualization in the cloud, network bandwidth, data storage and compute-processing power. Add the entrepreneurial spirit, and you have a recipe for the rapid expansion of a new multibillion-dollar market.

Dearth of experienced construction crews

One leftover from the mid-2000’s financial crisis is a serious shortage of experienced builders and tradesmen. Many left the industry from 2007 through 2012-13 and never came back. Demand far outstrips construction companies’ ability to supply enough crews. Wages have increased dramatically along with the cost of raw materials such as lumber.

3D printing can dramatically reduce the number of people on-site required to build a home. There’s still plenty of work to be done by tradesmen: things printers don’t print such as doors, wiring, plumbing, fixtures, finishes and appliances.

Low cost housing

New Story is a charity based in San Francisco focused on providing homes for people living in inadequate housing around the world. In 2018, they partnered with an Austin, Texas based construction company, ICON, to build an entire community of low-cost homes in Tabasco, Mexico, for 50 families. ICON used their revolutionary 3D-printing system, Vulcan II, to build 500 -square-feet, 2-bedroom, 1-bath homes for under $4,000 . They provide not only living space, but also the security that comes with lockable doors to protect these vulnerable families. The homes were completed in just 24 hours of print-time over seven days utilizing their proprietary cement, Lavacrete. ICON is also building a community in Texas for the homeless using the same building process.

Mars here we come

From Mexico and Texas, let’s take a ride to Mars. Within the next 10 to 20 years, there will be humans colonizing the Red Planet. To recap previous articles, the race is on to be the first country or company (my bet’s on SpaceX) to establish the first human-inhabited base on Mars. Due to the massive costs (in the trillions) to transport tons of building materials, they’ll have to use the natural resources Mars provides, such as dust, water and rock. The solution NASA and many of the key players are focusing on are 3D-printed habitats using extrusion-capable cement created from Martian soil and rock.

AI spaceFactory, a New York technology company, recently won a NASA award for Marsha (Mars habitat). SpaceFactory’s 3D printers could hitch a ride to Mars, then would be automatically assembled and deployed to start building multi-story habitats using Martian concrete paste to quickly build a sustainable colony. In 2019, spaceFactory printed a prototype of Marsha within a 30-hour construction window and, more importantly, virtually autonomously. That’s key. Several companies, such as SpaceX, imagine the first landings will be for supplies needed for the colonists to build their base. Other plans call nonhuman missions with spaceships transporting AI-driven robots and machinery tasked with setting up the core base for colonists arriving months or years later.

Power, water, food production, shelter, landing pads, waste management, mining and horizontal infrastructure such as roads and pedestrian passageways will need to be constructed. To fuel rockets landing on Mars for the return journey to Earth, technologies and infrastructure leveraging Mars’ natural water and carbon dioxide resources will need to be constructed. Mobile robotic 3D printers could accomplish most of these tasks along with other types of AI-driven systems in support.

Print a house for me

Now back to Earth. The 3D printers are going mainstream. With the cost of construction skyrocketing due to supply and demand and a constrained workforce, 3D printers could take a big bite out of the cost per square foot and timeline. Instead of using precious lumber and metals, companies like Icon could apply their Lavacrete to build high-quality homes for the middle class, built in weeks instead of 8 or 9 months. With one or two on-site 3D printers, a home could be constructed within a couple months, once permitting is complete.

Another unique capability of 3D-printed construction is they are not constrained to square boxes; homes can be built with unique curves and shapes. Additionally, a 3D-printed design can be altered even at the time of printing, making for ultimate flexibility in construction.

Barriers to mass use

Although tremendous progress has been made in 3D -construction technology, codes and regulations are boat anchors to mass adoption. Cities, counties, states and architectural review committees for planned communities need to update their policies, building codes, regulations and permitting processes to keep up with the times. Modern prefab homes and 3D-printed dwellings face a daunting permitting process, often leading to build times in excess of 18 months to over 2 years. However, forward-thinking builders are getting projects done in cities like Portland, where they’ve been able to convince permitting offices that 3D-printed homes and accessory dwelling units can meet or exceed code.

So a challenge to all my builder friends: Who’s ready to step up to bat to build 3D-printed homes in Central Oregon?

bit.ly/3D-Printing-Construction ; bit.ly/1st-Printed-Apt-Bldg ; bit.ly/1st-3D-Printed-Ped-Bridge ; www.NewStoryCharity.org/3D-Community/ ; www.iconbuild.com/ ; bit.ly/NASA-Martian-Habitats ; www.aispacefactory.com/ ; bit.ly/Space-Homes ;