BLACKSBURG, Va. – Ten 3D-printed homes are set to be built across Virginia by 2026, thanks to a $1.1 million grant from Virginia Housing. The funding enabled Virginia Tech to purchase an advanced 3D printer capable of producing key components for housing construction, including concrete walls.
Virginia Tech’s Housing Research Director Andrew McCoy and his team have already printed four homes through previous grants. However, this new printer offers enhanced capabilities. Its portability, ability to produce unique designs, and modular printing approach make it a game-changer.
“Before, we had to print the entire footprint of the house. If we messed up in one section, we had to figure out a plan for what we were going to do,” McCoy said. “Now if we mess up a pre-print, we can just discard it and start all over again.”
The primary advantage of 3D printing over traditional construction methods is the significant reduction in time. Virginia Tech and Virginia Housing hope this evolving technology can accelerate the development of affordable housing in a state where it is critically needed.
“Virginia has embraced this, and I think it would just be fabulous for Virginia to be seen as the hub of 3D printing and research and development,” Chris Thompson with Virginia Housing said. “I really think it positions us to be in a good place as we move forward.”
As the technology is still relatively new, part of the grant will be used for workforce training and researching alternative printing materials. This includes exploring methods to integrate concrete and insulation in a single process, a development McCoy’s team is actively testing.
“One of the things we’re looking at is we have a concrete print head, and we lay the concrete. We have the foam print head, and we insulate. We spray foam with the foam head right behind it. Now we have the concrete, the insulation, and we’re done,” McCoy explained.
With these advancements, Virginia Tech aims to shift from building one house at a time to constructing multiple homes simultaneously. The project could position Virginia as a leader in 3D-printed housing and pave the way for more accessible and innovative housing solutions statewide.
3D printer attributes
- Robotic arm design: Unlike larger gantry-based systems, the SIRA RC20 uses a multi-axial robotic arm, offering greater flexibility and precision
- High payload capacity: Engineered to handle heavy components, the SIRA RC20 can produce large-scale construction elements
- Customizable motion systems: The printer offers tailored motion systems to meet specific project requirements, enhancing versatility for different types of projects
- Eco-friendly design: This system minimizes material waste and can use low-carbon mixes and recycled concrete mixes to create energy-efficient structures. Refined from bulky, larger systems, the nearly 11-foot high, four-ton eco-friendly printer can cut construction time and waste
3D printer grant, by phases
- Phase One: Underway now; focus on purchasing and maintaining the robotic-arm 3D printer
- Phase Two: Training construction partners in 3DCP technology, starting with two training cohorts in the first year and increasing to four in the second year
- Phase Three: Advancing research with Virginia Tech’s faculty to expand 3DCP knowledge and applications
- Phase Four: Collaborating with Virginia developers to construct durable, high-performance housing that meets community needs