By Ariana Nieves,
Marketing Coordinator
Sustainable Investment Group (SIG)
On March 2nd of this year, ICON –a construction company that utilizes advanced 3-D printing robotics– unveiled its latest project titled “House Zero,” a 3-D printed home that contains no straight lines. ICON’s goal with the project was to push the boundaries of resiliency, sustainability, architecture, and design.
The 2,000+ sqft home contains three bedrooms and two and a half bathrooms. It also features a 350 sqft one bedroom/ one bathroom “accessory dwelling unit.” The house was printed using ICON’s next-generation Vulcan construction system and designed by Lake Flato architects.
The 3-D printed walls are “proprietary cementitious-based materials” reinforced with steel. The material provides “thermal mass that slows heat transfer into the home,” resulting in improved insulation and an airtight wall. The firm wall seal increases energy efficiency and decreases lifecycle costs. The 3-D printing system is also said to reduce a project’s time, waste, and cost.
ICON and Lake Flato created the home’s unique design with sustainability in mind. The creative choice of curved walls makes “structurally efficient self-stability,” and the rounded edges promote “naturalistic circulation routes.” Additionally, the house is eastern-facing. It includes many strategically placed windows to allow an abundance of natural light to flow through the space. The light feeds into biophilia and minimizes the need for electrical lighting during the day.
ICON hopes to generate a new genre of homebuilding that combines architecture, design, resiliency, and sustainability. 3-D printed homes could become the future of homebuilding and increase the chances of a sustainable future.
Check out more information about the home here: https://www.iconbuild.com/updates/icon-unveils-house-zero-and-announces-2022-sxsw-activations
Want to learn more about Green Homes? Click here.
Sources:
https://www.iconbuild.com/updates/icon-unveils-house-zero-and-announces-2022-sxsw-activations
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c4X_tT5syCA&ab_channel=ICON-3DTech
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HYPLR7f9zno&t=200s&ab_channel=JarettGross
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