Toni Dimaano Tech 11.24.2022 05:Nov AM EST

University of Maine Uncovers The First Fully Bio-Based 3D-Printed Home

The Advanced Structures and Composites Center at the University of Maine unveiled BioHome3D, which is the first 3D-printed house made from 100% bio-based materials.

According to Interesting Engineering, this new structure consists of a prototype featuring 3D-printed floors, walls, wood fiber roof, and bio-resins that can address housing shortages.

The Bio-Based Home Is Fully Recyclable

With its eco-friendly properties, the first fully bio-based 3D-printed 600-square-foot big structure is highly insulated, and is produced with a limited amount of waste through precise printing.

According to Maine Governor Janet Mills, as the state is facing a surge of housing crisis and labor shortage, this artificial home by the University is a possible solution to address these challenges.

She adds that the BioHome3D can even strengthen the forest products industry, and give people a safe and economically-conscious place to live.

While the bio-based home is an innovative solution to the growing housing problem in Maine, it is important to consider that this development is only one step towards solutions.

Interesting Engineering claims that the automated manufacturing technology and the off-site production of this fully bio-based home will result in less time wasted on on-site building.

This technology will tackle the problem of labor shortages, while the use of renewable and locally sourced wood fiber feedstock addressed the current supply chain problems.

With this, University of Maine President Joan Ferrini-Mundy says that they are continuously finding solutions to the pressing issues that the state faces through research and transformative technology.

Furthermore, she adds that these advanced forest products and large-scale 3D printing processes can present transportation solutions aside from affordable housing.

In the future, the University of Maine Advanced Structures and Composites Center hopes to produce homes that are customizable to meet the needs and aesthetic preferences of homeowners.

Many 3D-Printed Homes Were Attempted Before But BioHome3D Was Unlike Others

In the US and in Maine, there is a shortage for affordable housing, which is why the government and agencies have been in support of the BioHome3D project.

Because of this, many technologies have tried to develop 3D homes, but most of them are printed using concrete unlike BioHome3D.

The first fully bio-based 3D-printed home was printed in four modules and assembled on site for half a day, with completed electricity connection installed within hours.

The BioHome3D is currently on a foundation outside the ASCC, equipped with sensors for thermal, environmental, and structural monitoring to test its performance through a Maine winter.

Different from other 3D-printed homes, the BioHome3D is printed from 100% recyclable materials, including floors, walls, and roof.

The project is possible through the strong partnerships of the University of Maine and the communities around it, according to the University of Maine Official Site.

According to the UN Environment Programme, buildings contribute to nearly 40% of global carbon emissions, which is why building homes from sustainably grown wood fiber is preferred.