printing homes

[Janger]

https://www.bloomberg.com/features/...rce=flipboard&utm_content=user/BloombergGreen

Wow. Not theoretical or prototype anymore. 100's of homes.

 

[Janger]

They don't quite say but it appears workers put rebar in to the layers? there are stacks of rebar in front of all the walls.

 

[Dan Dubeau]

I really like the 3d printed homes. I think it's brilliant.

I'd love to build a large format print with a concrete pump. So far just a dream, but I love the look of the layers, and have many things I'd use it for around the property.

 

[Doggggboy]

If they could print with somethinga little more eco friendly than concrete, it would be awesome. The Lavacrete sounds basically like concrete, but fast drying and made with crushed lava rock. And proprietary, of course.

 

[TorontoBuilder]

If they could print with somethinga little more eco friendly than concrete, it would be awesome. The Lavacrete sounds basically like concrete, but fast drying and made with crushed lava rock. And proprietary, of course.

There is also the issue of the lack of insulation in the walls, even if some systems were looking at 3d printing with aircrete if pales in comparison to high performance stick built homes. There is a cool factor in this technology but it likely wont be the future given the massive energy requirements of cement production vs wood frame. Panelization is as fast as 3D printed concrete with far less embodied energy.

 

[Susquatch]

There is also the issue of the lack of insulation in the walls, even if some systems were looking at 3d printing with aircrete if pales in comparison to high performance stick built homes. There is a cool factor in this technology but it likely wont be the future given the massive energy requirements of cement production vs wood frame. Panelization is as fast as 3D printed concrete with far less embodied energy.

You are one of the few I have heard mention embedded energy. Kudos to you for that. It's the monster hiding in the heart of most green dreams - especially batteries, light weight metals, and of course concrete. I prefer to think in terms of life cycle - all in, no free rides.

 

[whydontu]

I know zip about the concept of 3d concrete printing, but it does seem insanely complicated compared to the common tilt-up concrete warehouses.

And concrete interior walls means one floor plan that can never be modified.

 

[Janger]

They are printing the walls with an internal cavity for insulation and this is Texas - not so cold. But in principle I think you are right @TorontoBuilder

 

[DPittman]

And concrete interior walls means one floor plan that can never be modified.

I suppose if your structure was big enough it would be possible to ADD interior walls out of another material?

 

[whydontu]

I suppose if your structure was big enough it would be possible to ADD interior walls out of another material?

I’ve lived in 21 different houses. Only added interior walls once, but moved doorways, removed non-load bearing walls, moved appliances many times. Picture the response of SWMBO when she asks “can we change the kitchen island?” and your answer is “no, it’s concrete and cast into the floor.”

 

[DPittman]

I’ve lived in 21 different houses.

Wow! I'm on the other end of the spectrum, been in the same house for 54 years now!

 

[Doggggboy]

I’ve lived in 21 different houses. Only added interior walls once, but moved doorways, removed non-load bearing walls, moved appliances many times. Picture the response of SWMBO when she asks “can we change the kitchen island?” and your answer is “no, it’s concrete and cast into the floor.”

21 seems like ......... a lot?
Do tell.

 

[Susquatch]

Apparently, google says the average Canadian owns 5 homes in their lifetime.

I'm at 3. We had planned one more in our final years, but my bride might off me here before that happens.

I've lived in 11 since birth.

 

[KeeponDragon]

It's definitely an interesting project. I guess like all new things, there's hiccups with one aspect or another. Such as remodelling after a few years, or during construction. Such as stated above with the lavacrete being not as eco friendly.
I read that the BIG company has their sights set on the planet Mars as well. I won't claim to be knowledgeable when it comes to planets etc, but if Mars doesn't have much for an atmosphere, I wonder what they'll have to come up with to get the extrusion to harden?

On the topic of domiciles...My sister and I own our families home. Dad passed a few years ago and left it to us. We moved in the early 80's, but kept the house. We didn't sell. Only myself and Dad, have been able to buy a house. My better 3/4's and I sold our townhome 2 yrs ago, and now we're here. Sis plans on buying me out of my half of the family shack. And I'm ok with that, right up until I have to claim it on taxes as capital gains .
If I included the amount of places I moved in an out of as a 20-something...lol...no, not going there

 

[whydontu]

21 seems like ......... a lot?
Do tell.

My father was... restless. I didn't include houses I don't remember, so this list doesn't have wherever we lived before I was about 3. At least seven houses before I was 7. When I was 5, we moved from one side of a duplex to the other. The Downsview (Toronto) school distict had a weird catchment area for the local elementary schools, and my Dad wanted my older brother to go to School A but our address meant he had to go to School B. But moving to the attached duplex (20ft to the left) meant a new address and School A was available.

Creston, Merritt, Toronto, Ashcroft, 100 Mile House, New Westminster, Port Alberni, Vancouver, Coquitlam, Surrey, Langley and often multiple houses in each municipality. I've slowed down quite a bit, only five houses in the last 25 years.

 

[Six O Two]

There's a company with ties to Nelson BC that's built some 3d printed concrete homes and also some public playground infrastructure in the area.


I dunno. On top of having concerns around embodied carbon, these concrete structures seem less strong than typically form-poured concrete. I'm not sure if the layering adds areas where water can seep in during freeze-thaw cycles, or if just the printing process has issues around layer adhesion (like many other additive printing technologies), but it does seem more prone to cracking and chipping.

 

[Tom O]

I wonder if they retain that “ New Basement smell “

 

[Tom Kitta]

There are tons of limitations with this right now. For example, they do not change interior walls or exterior walls - this is somehow seen as a "plus" - more of a heavy limit.

Print resolution is terrible - 3/4 in. Workers have to work extra hard to make things such as electricity viable. Concrete is not very friendly in this respect - I assume they do this when its not super hard yet.

Concrete ... not super green.

Speed is ... SLOW. This is few times slower then current building systems.

This needs major improvement - such as using light weight mix that is green, print resolution of say 1mm etc. Otherwise their "do not need trades" idea can be implemented on any European home by simply not finishing the interior or exterior walls - just leave it as bricks

This remind me of a system where they 3D print a rocket... come on people, sheet metal is 10x as superior. Lighter, faster, cheaper, stronger. Why 3D print - just to make a point it can be done?

 

[jcdammeyer]

I stumbled on this video the other day. Lots of insulation. Easy enough to cut grooves for wiring.

 

[Tom Kitta]

The main problem with above method is that it is already super similar to what is done in say Canada. The problem is NOT with building exterior wall - I had my 800 ft garage up in just 3 days. It is with finishing it up. It is with adding electricity etc.

In Europe Canadian style (or this Lego) buildings do exist but are not much cheaper & they are heavily criticized. I mean value drops like a brick once you want to sell them. Reason is that they are seen as very flimsy compared to traditional brick style buildings.

Reason we do not have brick style in Canada a lot is COST.

Also notice that for the Logo they did one of the most expensive stuff - foundation - with traditional methods. Essentially they are just skipping Euro style brock for a flavor of Canadian style wood.

For my garage the cost of exterior framing and sheeting was under 10% of the whole construction cost - and for this and the roof I used a company.