Azure Printed Homes is reportedly the first 3D printing construction company to use plastic waste as a key building material.
To “close the loop” within the 3D home construction space,
the company is attempting to rethink the concept of a sustainable building by repurposing plastic destined for landfills or incineration in place of commonly used concrete.
The company has recently opened a new 15,000 square foot factory in California to house its custom-built building 3D printer, which can produce backyard studios, auxiliary dwelling units (ADUs), and, eventually, full-sized homes.
According to Azure Printed Homes,
which was founded by Gene Eidelman and Ross Maguire,
the 3D home-building industry has concentrated on concrete thus far.
Its new 15,000-square-foot facility in Culver City, California,
was built for the production of reused plastic structures like homes and backyard studios.
by repurposing plastic that would otherwise go to landfills,
end up in our oceans
, or be burnt.
Azure attempts to go closer to the circular economy’s goal of making the most of previously used materials by using recycled materials instead of new resources.
“The construction industry is the world’s greatest user of raw materials,
accounting for around 20% of global carbon emissions,” Eidelman explained.
“Our responsibility to our consumers and future generations is to utilize the most environmentally friendly practices possible.”
Making 3D printing construction more eco-friendly
For some time,
companies like WASP, COBOD, PERI Group, and ICON have been pioneering the 3D printing construction space, claiming that the technology offers lower material waste,
improved process efficiencies, and can more effectively address the global affordable housing crisis than traditional construction techniques.
Leaders such as Sheik Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates,
have stated their desire to increase building 3D printing to meet housing targets.
In other news,
ETH Zurich claimed that it had reduced the use of concrete by 70% thanks to a newly developed foam 3D printing technology.
The printable foam, which is made from recycled waste
, may be used to print both practical stay-in-place and temporary recyclable formwork for casting optimal concrete slabs.
When it comes to the future of 3D printing, some additive manufacturing experts have identified construction 3D printing as an area to keep an eye on,
especially in light of an increasing emphasis on circular economy concepts and waste repurposing.