Students from Woodbury University School of Architecture, in collaboration with 3D builder Emergent and LiUNA (Laborers’ International Union of North America), have successfully completed Los Angeles’ first fully-permitted net zero energy 3D printed house on its Burbank campus. Dubbed the Solar Futures House, the project is part of a nationwide solar decathlon contest among colleges by the US Department of Energy.
The concrete walls of the 425 square foot house were printed in just 15 hours with COBOD International’s BOD2, the world’s most used 3D construction printers. The demonstrated speed and efficiency of the 3D printing technology verified that such could be part of the solution to address the homelessness crisis gripping LA. The Solar Futures House price with construction costs estimated at just US$250,000 is also in stark contrast to the average home price of US$1.2 million in Burbank.
In 2023, the US construction industry is facing a severe shortage of skilled labour, surpassing 500,000 workers, according to Associated Builders & Contractors (ABC). The integration of automation technologies, like 3D printing, could significantly contribute to bridging this gap, particularly when combined with the adoption and training of the future workforce, as demonstrated by the Solar Futures House project.
Philip Lund-Nielsen, Co-founder and Head of Americas at COBOD International, said: “We believe that arming and training the future workforce with automation technologies, such as 3D printers, can effectively address this issue.”
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