The construction industry is about to experience a massive leap forward. El Cosmico campground hotel in Marfa, Texas, is set to become the world’s first-ever 3D-printed hotel, marking a new era in construction technology. With its innovative Vulcan machines, Austin-based startup Icon Build is set to revolutionize the construction industry by enabling the faster, cheaper, and more sustainable construction of structures that meet the highest building standards for sustainability. Could this be the future of construction? Let’s find out.
Icon Build, which specializes in printing entire houses on-site in record time, built the walls of a 2,000-square-foot home in just eight days. The company’s Vulcan machines were designed to establish entirely customizable and sustainable buildings at significantly lower costs than traditional construction methods. Its revolutionary technologies offer rapid design, delivery, and scaling of sustainable and energy-efficient structures.
Furthermore, the company is working to minimizing harmful gases during the creation of Lavacrete, an innovation in building materials that significantly reduces the environmental impact of construction.
Architect Bjarke Ingels put it perfectly when he said: “the beauty of 3D printing lies in its ability to effortlessly handle complexity. Whether it’s a simple box or an intricate domed house, it can be done at the same cost.” This innovation is a potential game-changer that could help redefine the industry’s approach to construction by fostering resource efficiency and sharing knowledge of sustainable building practices to develop more environmentally-friendly structures.
At PLACE, we are also seeking to revolutionize the construction industry by fostering sustainable building solutions that support environmentally friendly practices. With our innovative Marketplace model, we connect developers and manufacturers like Icon Build to tackle the challenge of limited home-building capacity. By creating a shared knowledge base for sustainable building practices, we aim to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and waste while providing high-quality and affordable housing solutions to our village members.
As highlighted earlier, Icon is at the forefront of promoting sustainable building practices by minimizing harmful greenhouse gas emissions. PLACE encourages a collaborative approach among all stakeholders in the construction industry to foster resource efficiency and achieve sustainable outcomes. Through our innovative Web 3 showroom called PLACEVerse, we provide a platform for connecting with developers, contractors, self builders, multi-family builders and manufacturers and showcase innovative housing solutions like Icon’s 3D-printed building technology.
In North America alone, there is an annual deficit in excess of 300,000 housing units. This deficit grows every year and currently stands at 5 million housing units. The world needs more Icons, more innovators, and frankly everything in this space.
The construction industry is on the brink of a major transformation, with Icon Build and others like Mightly Buildings and researchers at BioHome 3D leading the charge in the 3D-printed building technology space. By revolutionizing the industry with cutting-edge technologies that enable faster, cheaper, and more sustainable construction methods, the company is creating a positive impact on the environment and reducing the cost of building while maintaining quality standards.
With PLACE, an innovative and collaborative marketplace, we aim to supplement the industry’s efforts and provide sustainable building solutions by sharing knowledge and fostering resource efficiency. As the world’s housing needs grow, sustainable building practices like Icon’s 3D-printed building technology and PLACE’s shared knowledge base are sure to become the norm and drive a new wave of construction innovation.