BioHome3D, the first 100% bio-based 3D-printed home, is proving to be a viable solution to the growing housing crisis after a year of outdoor testing.
Printed at the University of Maine’s Advanced Structures and Composites Center (ASCC), the prototype is poised to set new standards for structural integrity, carbon footprint reduction and next-generation manufacturing.
BioHome3D is a 600-square-foot home that was designed to meet Maine’s affordable housing requirements. It was created entirely with wood residuals, bio-resins and wood fibre insulation. Due to its renewable materials, the home, which includes one bedroom and one bathroom, is fully recyclable and acts as a carbon sink.
The construction industry accounts for 39% of global carbon emissions. Sequestering 46 tons of carbon-dioxide for each 600-square-foot unit, BioHome3D stands as a pivotal solution for the construction industry. This technology addresses both operational and embodied carbon, and sets precedents for both sustainable construction material production and manufacturing.
During its inaugural year, BioHome3D endured one of Maine’s most volatile weather perods, with sensors reporting temperatures from 1°F to 105°F, extreme wind storms that caused blackouts throughout the state and a number of snowstorms. It performed very well under rain, snow, temperature cycling and hail. It was designed in accordance with ASCE 7 loadings, and meets the design requirements of the International Code Council (ICC) code.
Wood residuals
By using locally-produced wood residuals, Biohome3D can also support Maine’s forest products industry. Maine’s sawmills produce nearly a million tons of wood residuals every year, which used to go to many pulp and paper mills that have since shuttered. Each 600-square-foot unit requires approximately 10 tons of wood residuals, meaning 100,000 units could theoretically be produced every year using the sawmill residuals. Not all residuals will be used for this purpose, but this provides a sense of the available feedstock resource.
The technology was also designed to address labuor shortages and supply chain issues that are inhibiting the construction of affordable housing, by printing with abundant, renewable and locally-sourced wood fibre feedstock whicg reduces material costs, while making the construction process and final product more sustainable. These locally-produced materials also are more resilient to global supply chain disruptions and labor shortages.
In Maine, around 41% of the construction workforce is nearing retirement, and projected growth won’t bridge the ensuing gaps. Utilizing ASCC’s expertise in next-generation manufacturing technologies has notably reduced reliance on labour and significantly accelerated production, while minimizing waste through precision manufacturing.
BioHome3D has been recognised globally and was awarded the Aubin AM Case Study Award by the Society of Manufacturing Engineers and the Combined Strength Award at the 2023 CAMX Conference.
www.maine.edu