Whether you are renting, buying, or building, a house can be extremely expensive. For most, buying or building a house involves an enormous mortgage. For others, it is out of the question altogether.
The good news is that there are more and more alternative options and creative solutions to help people create affordable homes.
New Story’s Vision And Mission
New Story is only one of these organizations. They are a non-profit from San Francisco with a mission “to create a world where no human being lives in survival mode.” Their goal is to end homelessness.
They have already built 534 homes in Haiti in eight communities for 1,848 people, 190 homes in El Salvador in five communities for 790 people, and 59 homes in Bolivia for one community for 177 people. Currently, they are working in Mexico.
Currently, 100 million people are living in survival mode in slum conditions in the world. Clearly, they have many ways to go meet their vision.
The organization is constantly looking for new ways to be more effective, efficient and cost-effective. Their secret weapon lies in 3-D printing. They have teamed up with ICON print, a construction technology company to build inexpensive 3-D homes.
The Use Of 3D Printing
Realizing that current building methods cannot reach billions of people, they are challenging traditions. 3D printing allows exponentially faster and cheaper solutions to create good homes for families.
They are not only building around the world. They have built a 650-square-foot 3-D home prototype in Austin, Texas for only $4,000. It has a living room, bedroom, small office, bathroom and porch. Windows, doors, plumbing and electrical systems are all included, built by human workers. There is nothing to worry about when it comes to the quality either. The house meets all local housing codes and can be built in only one day.
The printing machine they are using is called the Vulcan. It can be used in places where electricity and portable water are not available, making it more sustainable.
The company and the use of 3D printing technology have the potential to make a true difference in the entire world. It can create major advancement not only in affordability, but sustainability, building performance, and customization as well. If you don’t want to have a square-shaped house, it is possible to create any shape with a 3D printer.
They are able to build 100 homes within eight months for $6,000 a pop. Currently, they are building an entire village for people without homes in El Salvador.
What do you think about this 3D printing technology to build houses? Would you like this to spread in the U.S. as well? Would you live in a house printed on a 3D printer? Share what you think in the comments below.
Image source: Home Hacks