Construction 3D printing firm Apis Cor has entered into several new partnerships that will see it deploy its construction 3D printing technology to address the US’ affordable housing needs.
The firm is working with Struggle for Miami’s Affordable and Sustainable Housing SMASH, a community land trust for housing justice, to 3D print affordable homes in Miami-Dade County in South Florida, and with Eden Village Wilmington to create low-cost tiny houses for the chronically homeless in North Carolina.
“Affordable housing is a complex problem and it differs from city to city and state to state,” said Anna Cheniuntai, CEO and Co-Founder of Apis Cor. “We know 3D-printing technology can be adapted to satisfy a wide range of needs, environments and specific building design and cost requirements. We created a cooperative program to innovate and scale the construction of affordable 3D-printed houses to contribute to society.”
Apis Cor’s construction 3D printing technology
Specializing in the development of construction 3D printing technologies, Apis Cor’s offering revolves largely around its ‘Frank’ mobile 3D printer, which can reportedly print building up to three stories in height with ‘unlimited square footage.’
The printer is complemented by the firm’s ‘Gary’ mixing and pumping unit and its ‘Mary’ material delivery system, and the firm has leveraged its various technologies to build several proof-of-concept structures.
In October last year, the company announced plans to 3D print a luxury home on the US Space coast which is to be listed on the housing market for $750,000, and has also opened its first 3D printed home showroom in Florida where it will showcase its technology and attract new customers.
At the beginning of the year, Apis Cor received a Regulation A+ qualification from the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to offer its shares publicly in the US for the first time. The firm could raise as much as $75 million over the next year from selling stock as it looks to further commercialize its technologies.
3D printing affordable housing
The first of Apis Cor’s new partnerships will see the firm work with SMASH to demonstrate the viability of 3D printing homes in South Florida. The partners are seeking to address the demand for affordable housing in Miami-Dade county by deploying Apis Cor’s 3D printing technologies.
“In a market where land is prohibitively expensive like Miami, and where there are limited funds for housing production, 3D printing technology offers the kind of market disruption that could finally provide conscious builders with the means to meet the extraordinary demand for affordable housing in the county,” said Adrian Alberto Madriz, Executive director of SMASH-Miami.
With Apis Cor’s additive manufacturing technology claiming to save up to 30 percent on the cost of conventional building methods in the US for new homes, the system is expected to slash shipping costs, installation times, and improve printing speeds.
“Partnering with SMASH gives us the opportunity to push our technology and materials in new ways,” said Cheniuntai. “Because Miami is in a high-velocity hurricane corridor we are exploring how 3D printing technology can be adapted to meet specific building, design and cost requirements.
“Before we 3D print the first home with SMASH in 2023, we will have planned out every detail, achieved the desired price for each build, and secured approvals from the county.”
The firm is carrying out the project as part of its Affordable Housing Cooperative Program (AHCP), through which it seeks to work with non-profits and affordable housing firms to build 3D printed homes.
Alongside its AHCP partners, Apis Cor hopes to design specification houses that fit an organization’s distinct requirements regarding price, square footage, floor plan, and finishes, before bringing the designs to life via its construction 3D printing system.
“As a worker-owned cooperative non-profit, we will be able to employ organized labor in the production of cutting edge, resilient and quality housing at a much lower cost than conventional methods,” added Madriz.
Providing housing for the homeless
Apis Cor’s second partnership under AHCP is with the Eden Village Wilmington, a 31-unit tiny home community for the chronically homeless. The two partners will work together to 3D print tiny homes that meet the non-profit’s goals and specifications and provide a permanent residence to homeless individuals in the Wilmington area.
“We believe Apis Cor’s 3D printing technology is the future of construction,” said Thomas Dalton, Co–founder of Eden Village Wilmington. “Working with Apis Cor to design and develop a 3D printed home that can be replicated makes it possible to provide a private home to a very needy person. We can build houses faster, at a much lower cost and with less waste.
“Furthermore, 3D printing opens the horizons for alternative and eco-friendly materials.”
Eden Village is designed to provide life-long permanent homes for homeless individuals in the area, including patients of a nearby hospital that are battling chronic illnesses. To improve their treatment results, these patients need stable living conditions and have been chosen specifically for the Eden Village in order to ensure their personal success.
“Eden Village knows exactly what they need to build – from the floor plan to the finishes,” said Cheniuntai. “We are designing the look and feel for their tiny 3D printed homes inside and out. Together we are developing an action plan and long-term roadmap to 3D print an entire village.”
Cheniuntai will be taking part in 3D Printing Industry’s upcoming webinar ‘Exploring 3D printing’s emerging construction industry’, moderated by journalist Paul Hanaphy. Cheniuntai will be joined by CEMEX Ventures’ Ibon Iribar and William Varah of the UK government’s Infrastructure and Projects Authority (IPA) to discuss the benefits, challenges, and opportunities surrounding 3D printing’s deployment in the construction sector. Make sure to register for the event, which is taking place on Thursday 21st April at 5pm BST.
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Featured image shows Apis Cor’s technology was previously used to 3D print a house in Stupino. Photo via Apis Cor.
