The technology involved with 3D printing has dramatically evolved over the past 20 years, going from printing plastic parts, metal fasteners, and other small components to the first basic shelter in as little as 30 minutes back in 2015 and to the first traditional-looking, one-story 3D-printed house that went for sale on Long Island, New York, this past February for $300,000.
But nearly all of the examples of 3D-printed home innovations thus far have either been one-offs or small structures no larger than three hundred or four hundred square feet.
A sustainable real-estate developer and a 3D housing manufacturer plan to change that soon in the form of a community of 3D-printed houses that resemble the size and layout of modest residential homes.
Numerous news outlets reported in early March about the Rancho Mirage Project — the endeavor by Palari Group and Mighty Buildings to establish a community of 15 eco-friendly, 3D-printed houses in the small town of Rancho Mirage, just outside of Southern California’s Joshua Tree National Park.
The houses will be constructed of 3D-printed panels from Mighty Buildings, which began operating in 2017 and secured $40 million in new funding this past February. At its Oakland headquarters warehouse, the company’s 3D printers are the size of small garages and use a stone-like material that rapidly hardens. This allows roofing, insulation, and exterior features to be added nearly simultaneously. Mighty Buildings says its technology can automate 80% of the houses’ construction and in 95% fewer labor hours and with significantly less waste than with traditional construction.
The company expects it will be able to build the new Rancho Mirage community in months, rather than the years that a comparable community project would take.
Palari is developing the project, which it expects to complete by spring 2022. Each home will span 1,450 square feet, comprising of three bedrooms and two bathrooms. It will also feature a deck and swimming pool. A separate 700-square-foot, two-bedroom and one-bathroom secondary residence can be built on the 10,000 square feet of property. Homes are priced at $595,000 for the base 3-bedroom model and go up to $950,000 for the two-home configuration. Amenities like hot tubs, firepits, and open-air showers can be added.
The company says the homes will look very similar to traditional mid-century modern homes.
On the sustainability front, the homes will be zero-net-energy, relying on solar power and optional Tesla Powerwall batteries, while electric vehicle chargers are also optional. A “wellness intelligence solution” is able to control circadian lighting and water quality, helping to use energy only when needed.
Palari’s pre-sale for the Rancho Mirage homes began in late February and sold out in days, and the developer said most sold to tech-savvy Millennials — two of whom paid with Bitcoin.
Mighty Buildings is reportedly already in talks with other developers for potential future communities.
