ICON House Zero was created in 2021, a 2,000+ square foot, 3-bedroom, 2.5-bathroom home in Austin, Texas. The home was 3D printed using ICON’s Vulcan construction system, which is a robotic arm that prints layers of concrete and insulation to create the walls of the home. The House Zero offered an excellent proof of concept for the 3DCP industry.

House Zero is a significant milestone in the development of 3D-printed housing. It is the first 3D-printed home to be built to code in the United States, and it is also the first to be certified by the Passive House Institute, which means that it is extremely energy efficient.

The construction of House Zero was a major undertaking. The Vulcan printer used to create the home is 25 feet tall and weighs 50,000 pounds. It took the printer over two weeks to print the walls of the home, which were made from a proprietary cementitious material called Lavacrete.

In addition to the walls, the roof of House Zero was also 3D printed. The roof is made from a lightweight concrete that is designed to withstand high winds and extreme weather conditions.

The interior of House Zero is designed to be both comfortable and energy efficient. The home features large windows that let in plenty of natural light, and it is also equipped with a heat pump and solar panels.

House Zero is a significant achievement for ICON, and it is a sign of the growing potential of 3D-printed housing. The technology has the potential to revolutionize the way homes are built, and it could help to address the global housing crisis.

PrinTerra uses the COBOD2 machine which can print as many as 3 stories

Benefits of 3D-Printed Housing

There are a number of potential benefits to 3D-printed housing, including:

• Speed: 3D printing can be used to build homes much faster than traditional construction methods. The Vulcan printer used to create House Zero was able to print the walls of the home in just over two weeks.
• Cost: 3D printing can also be used to build homes more affordably than traditional construction methods. The cost of building House Zero was estimated to be $200,000, which is significantly less than the cost of a traditional home in Austin.
• Sustainability: 3D printing can be used to create homes that are more sustainable than traditional homes. The Lavacrete material used to create the walls of House Zero is made from recycled materials, and the home is also equipped with energy-efficient features such as solar panels and a heat pump.
• Customization: 3D printing can be used to create homes that are customized to the needs of the individual homeowner. The Vulcan printer can be programmed to create complex designs, and it can also be used to print homes that are wheelchair accessible or that have other special features.

The Future of 3D-Printed Housing

The construction of House Zero is a significant milestone in the development of 3D-printed housing. The technology has the potential to revolutionize the way homes are built, and it could help to address the global housing crisis.

ICON is currently working on a number of other 3D-printed housing projects. The company is planning to build a 100-home community in Austin, Texas, and it is also working on a project to build homes for the military.

As the technology continues to develop, it is likely that 3D-printed housing will become more common. The technology has the potential to make homeownership more affordable and accessible, and it could also help to create more sustainable communities. Companies like Printerra are growing off this success and building multi-story buildings to further address the housing crisis.