The resilient, 500-square-foot homes were each 3D printed in around 24 hours of print time across several days by ICON, a construction technologies company, and feature final construction build out by ÉCHALE, New Story’s nonprofit partner in Mexico.
The built-to-last homes located in rural Tabasco, Mexico will be granted to local families currently living in extreme poverty and makeshift, unsafe shelter. The community of 3D printed homes will contain 50 homes in total.
Source of story:
https://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/worlds-first-community-of-3d-printed-houses/
3D printing is still in its infancy. As the technology matures over the next few years, it may prove to have far-reaching implications. Will it still make sense to manufacture things in Location X and then ship them to hundreds or thousands of other locations for retail distributio?
There are a lot of implications if/when these new construction techniques become more widespread. 3D printing should significantly reduce construction costs. It and robotics would tend to reduce employment in the construction industry.
If prices for newer homes start dropping, couldn’t that put downward pressure on the values of the existing housing stock, with winners and losers? Boomers could see their largest investments decreasing in value, but Millennials might be able to make purchases they’ve so far been priced out of. New construction techniques could even change the meaning of words. “Manufactured housing” is now a euphemism for mobile homes and their pejorative associations.
An Age of Abundance would have profound effects.
