US: Texas unveils world's largest community of 3D

In the 3D-printed community, homes range in size from 1,500 to 2,100 square feet and consist of three to four bedrooms and are priced between $475,000 and $599,000

Texas has taken a path-breaking step into the realm of innovative housing. The US state has unveiled the world's largest community of 3D-printed homes.

The first completed house in this groundbreaking project, which features wall "printed" using a concrete-based material, was recently showcased. This marks the beginning of a grand plan to construct 100 such homes, which will reportedly welcome residents starting September.

The community, as per a CNN report, is part of a larger development known as Wolf Ranch.

A joint collaboration between the Texas-based construction firm ICON, homebuilding company Lennar, and Danish architecture practice Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG), it is situated in Georgetown, Texas, approximately 30 miles north of the state capital, Austin.

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The recently revealed model home boasts bright interiors and curved gray walls, made from a concrete-based material called Lavacrete. The walls are created using 46-foot-wide robotic printers, and once those are complete, the doors, windows, and roofs — all equipped with solar panels — are installed.

As per ICON, over a third of the homes' walls have been printed. The 3D-printed homes range in size from 1,500 to 2,100 square feet and consist of three to four bedrooms and are priced between $475,000 and $599,000.

The project was introduced in 2021. Back then, Jason Ballard, co-founder, and CEO of ICON, described the project as a "watershed moment in the history of community-scale development."

3D-printing, he asserted, enables the construction of high-quality homes at a faster and more affordable pace compared to conventional building methods.

The innovative use of 3D printing in housing has the potential to address pressing environmental concerns and also the deficit the United States faces in terms of housing.

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Independent research, as per the CNN report, has shown that 3D-printed homes can reduce carbon dioxide emissions and construction waste. By eliminating the need for formwork, a material-intensive concrete mould, the overall use of concrete is significantly reduced.

Cement accounts for around 8 per cent of annual global CO2 emissions. 3D printed homes, as per a 2020 study, are also significantly cheaper.

While the project is a step forward in affordable housing and environmental impact, critics point out that 3D-printed homes still rely on carbon-intensive concrete. They also say that building codes addressing the safety and stability of these structures have not yet been widely adopted.

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