3D-printed future home technology — Courtesy: Shutterstock — Forge Productions
3D printing technology has grown at a rapid pace. NASA is looking at its benefits in space while scientists are researching the technology for 3D printing of organs.
Now, groundbreaking advances are allowing people to print the home of their dreams. A warehouse in Brevard County, Florida is showcasing the latest 3D tech that could completely transform the home-building and architecture industry.
A robot dubbed “Frank” sits in what developers call the world’s first 3D home showroom at Apis Cor’s Avenue Viera facility. He is part of an impressive family, as his predecessor constructed the world’s largest 3D-printed building.
The showroom gives people the opportunity to get an inside look at the emerging technology, according to Apis Cor’s Business Operation Manager, Jennifer McKinney.
“I definitely think 3D printing is a pillar in the construction industry, right now,” says McKinney. “The innovation is needed, and another great benefit of it is it replaces human error.”
“People can kind of go around and look at the wall samples and see that it’s very similar to traditional concrete masonry block construction. And see how windows are implemented,” she continued.
Brevard-based Apis Cor brought Frank to his existence and is a very non-traditional construction company. Apis Cor claims any design is possible, adding that there are no limitations on the square footage of a home, wall shapes, and even height. Two-story buildings can be printed with a click of a button.
Advocates of 3D-printed home technology say it addresses a number of current issues throughout the industry, such as waste, labor shortages, and environmental impacts. They also say 3D-printed homes can be finished very quickly.
“I like the fact that it’s so durable. In different parts of the country we are seeing storms, the tornadoes that went through Kentucky, are not far from where we live,” Ohio resident Jan Stockton said while visiting.
Traditional construction sites are usually littered with extra materials and scraps, but Apis Cor says that its 3D home printing will eliminate a majority of that waste. Thus, 3D-printing initiatives will be greener and more efficient than the construction we’re used to.
“We just print what we need and even if there’s a little bit here and there, we can reincorporate it back into the home,” McKinney said.
McKinney says that homes will start at $300,000, but the sky’s the limit. A deposit of $7,000 will reserve a 3D-printed home and will go towards the total pricing of the house once construction begins in 2023.
The company is focusing on building homes here in the Sunshine State before it plans to expand across the country.
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Chris began his writing as a hobby while attending Florida Southern College in Lakeland, Florida. Today he and his wife live in the Orlando area with their three children and dog.
