The first completely bio-based 3D-printed home has been created by the University of Maine Advanced Structures and Composites Center (ASCC).
According to a news release issued by the university, BioHome3D is comprised of 3D-printed floors and walls, as well as a roof of wood fibers and bio-resins. BioHome3D is being funded by an UMaine and the U.S. Department of Energy Oak Ridge National Laboratory program, and working in partnership with MaineHousing and the Maine Technology Institute.
“We are finding solutions here at ASCC to the pressing problems that our world faces and that Maine faces, through research on transformative offshore wind technology, next-generation solutions for transportation infrastructure, advanced forest products and large-scale 3D printing and, of course, affordable housing,” UMaine President Joan Ferrini-Mundy said in the release. “The work that goes on in this lab absolutely exemplifies the work of a land grant institution — an institution that was started in order to help to solve the problems of, and further the economic advancement of, the state of Maine in partnership with the people of Maine. I couldn’t be more proud to point to this lab and exactly how that’s happening right here.”
In the release, ASCC Executive Director Dr. Habib Dagher explained most current technologies only 3D print concrete walls and use standard cast concrete foundation and wood framing or trusses.
“Unlike the existing technologies, the entire BioHome3D was printed,” Dagher said in the release. “The biomaterials used are 100% recyclable, so our great-grandchildren can fully recycle BioHome3D.”
Sen. Susan Collins said the 3D-house proves the University of Maine is a global leader in innovation and scientific research, according to the release.
“This remarkable accomplishment was made possible by the tenacity and expertise of Dr. Habib Dagher, his team and students at the UMaine Advanced Structures and Composites Center,” Collins said in the release. “I commend them on pioneering this new market opportunity for Maine’s forest products industry, which could help alleviate our nation’s housing shortage. Their groundbreaking work will lay the foundation for the future of affordable housing and help create new jobs across our state.”
University of Maine System Chancellor Dannel Malloy said workforce and economic development are two essential components of the research conducted by ASCC, the release reported.
“Our federal and state policymakers know that an investment in Maine’s research university is an investment in the state’s future,” Malloy said in the release. “We appreciate the shared vision and the opportunity to continue to show demonstrated return on investment through initiatives like BioHome3D and the students getting hands-on learning today to carry on the work tomorrow.”
“It’s these type of public-private collaborations, supported by DOE’s Advanced Materials and Manufacturing Technologies Office, that will help spur innovation in our manufacturing sector,” Jeff Marootian, DOE senior advisor for energy efficiency and renewable energy, said in the release. “These partnerships across industry, academia, government and our national labs have ushered in critical new technologies that are reducing emissions, improving efficiency and making our manufacturing stronger, more resilient and more sustainable.”
Xin Sun, associate laboratory director for energy science and technology with the Oak Ridge National Laboratory, commented on how the program demonstrates how scientific collaboration can be used to address critical national needs, according to the release.
“Uniting the capabilities and facilities of ORNL with UMaine’s expertise and drive for innovation, we have together achieved a significant milestone in the development of sustainable materials and manufacturing technologies and decarbonizing the buildings sector,” Sun said in the release.
MaineHousing Director Daniel Brennan is looking forward to the implications of the 3D-printed technology, as reported in the release.
“This project gives us a real possibility to achieve something that has eluded us to-date, and that is the speed of production, to be able to mass produce in a very fast way housing,” Brennan said in the release. “The idea that we can create housing units in a fraction of the time with a fraction of the workforce — that is an efficiency that we’ve never experienced before. It’s going to stretch our precious state and federal resources exponentially, and most importantly, provide — quickly — for those most in need in our state.”
“Our state is facing the perfect storm of a housing crisis and labor shortage, but the University of Maine is stepping up once again to show that we can address these serious challenges with trademark Maine ingenuity,” Gov. Janet Mills said in the release. “With its innovative BioHome3D, UMaine’s Advanced Structures and Composites Center is thinking creatively about how we can tackle our housing shortage, strengthen our forest products industry and deliver people a safe place to live so they can contribute to our economy."
Mills noted this is a "positive step forward" though there is more work to be done, the release reported. She said she is proud to support the program through the Main Jobs and Recovery Plan. She also shared her congratulations and appreciation to UMaine and its partners, as well as her excitement at tackling "these problems with innovative solutions."
