Habitat for Humanity Ushers in Future of Homebuilding with 3D Printing
Frank, Gary and Mary are busy, busy builders, but they’re not your average muscular construction workers. This trio of fabricators are robots from Apis Cor, the Brevard County-based 3D printing building company that will be creating Space Coast Habitat for Humanity’s first 3D-printed home.
Actually, they will be making two homes, since another 3D house will be built for Macedonia Community Development Corporation in the lot adjoining the Habitat house.
“These are two nonprofits working for the common good of the community,” said Jerry Phillips, president of Macedonia CDC, which rehabilitates or builds new homes in neighborhoods where revitalization is essential.
Both homes will provide attractive, safe and affordable housing. Macedonia’s three-bedroom, two-bath 3D-printed house will be rented to a low-income family. Habitat’s two-bedroom, two-bath house will make the dream of homeownership a reality for single mom Mariah Humphries and her 4-year-old daughter, Ava. Humphries, who in the past had struggled with homelessness, is a graduate of life skills training classes at New Life Mission in Melbourne.
Although 3D home building methods differ significantly from traditional methods used for previous Habitat houses, the project remains committed to the proven Habitat formula, which offers partner families a 0% mortgage, but also requires the families to put in sweat equity in a Habitat build and complete homeownership education classes.
A $300,000 grant from affordable housing initiatives champion Wells Fargo helped cover construction costs. The City of Melbourne also provided financial support through the American Rescue Plan Act — government funds earmarked for building affordable housing.
There is much to love about the 3D building process.
“We anticipate it will go four to six weeks faster and provide substantial savings in insurance and utility costs,” said Anna Terry, executive director of Space Coast Habitat for Humanity. “The houses will be stronger and have impact windows.
The fact that the homes are being created by a Melbourne-based technology company makes the Habitat home even more significant. Founded in 2016 by Nick and Anna Cheniuntai, Apis Cor has developed proprietary technology and materials that “print,” or more appropriately, extrude, interior and exterior walls using advanced robotics and cement compounds that provide outstanding protections against mold, termite and moisture when compared to wood construction. Apis Cor is using this project to facilitate adoption of the process for Habitat for Humanity and its partners.
“Our construction process can be three times faster than traditional construction and our proprietary concrete material is 33% stronger than concrete block,” said Anna Cheniuntai.
The company has built 3D-printed structures that range from an iconic 400-square-foot tiny home in Russia to the world’s largest 3D-printed building — a towering office complex in Dubai.
Terry expects 3D construction to become a trend in affordable housing. The Brevard build joins a small but growing group of Habitat 3D initiatives in communities like Williamsburg, Virginia and Tempe, Arizona.
“The future is here and now,” she said. “Using robotic technology developed here on Florida’s Space Coast, we hope to usher in the future of quality home construction that costs less to build and maintain. We’re on the leading edge.”
Learn More
Apis Cor apis-cor.com
Space Coast Habitat for Humanity: spacecoasthabitat.org
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