A game-changing construction method from the University of Maine could help solve the U.S. housing crisis.
A segment broadcast on "Good Morning America" profiled BioHome3D, a sustainable housing solution from the University of Maine's Advanced Structures and Composites Center.
It uses a 3D printer to create a modular home with just two ingredients: wood waste and corn resin.
As reporter Ginger Zee explained, sawmills in the Pine Tree State produce about 1 million tons of wood waste each year.
The 600-square-foot home "takes only a week to create," Zee said, and it has already passed its first significant test: surviving one of Maine's brutal winters, with windchill factors falling below 45 degrees Fahrenheit, as Maine Public detailed.
With the materials costing around $40,000, it's conceivable that upscaling production could lower costs further. As Zee observed, sub-$100,000 starter homes could be a realistic proposition.
ASCC is partnering with a local nonprofit to add nine more homes made with 3D-printed materials in the coming year.
With more funding secured from Congress and plans to get a factory up and running by 2026, 3D-printed homes could soon be commonplace in New England.
According to a report from Realtor.com, detailed by Investopedia, U.S. home supply was almost 4 million short in 2024. It noted that if construction rates remain unchanged, it would take over seven years to catch up with demand.
However, cutting-edge technology could provide the answer at a fraction of the cost and time required for traditional construction, with significantly less environmental impact.
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Definitely 🙁 Aside from the cost and speed of construction, there are substantial environmental benefits.
According to the United Nations Environment Programme, the construction industry has a significant pollution footprint, producing around 21% of global planet-warming pollution. Dwellings created by BioHome3D drain fewer resources and require fewer machines powered by dirty fuels, significantly slashing the environmental impact of construction.
Another advantage is that the materials can be easily broken down and recycled, which isn't the case with concrete.
Extreme weather events in the United States — including wildfires, deadly storms, and flooding — are increasing in frequency and intensity. Human-caused pollution traps heat in the atmosphere, providing favorable circumstances for such conditions to thrive.
Not only is cutting pollution essential to reduce the risk of extreme weather, but there is also a clear advantage to having buildings that can be assembled quickly and cheaply to help people rebuild their lives should their homes be damaged or destroyed.
What's more, with uncertainties over the global supply chain, sustainable homes built with locally available materials make a great deal of sense.
One comment on the video read, "This is genius especially considering the current financial climate."
Another offered a word of caution against future speculation, saying, "All we need to do is keep investors out to keep them affordable."
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