DETROIT (WXYZ) — Drive through Detroit’s Islandview neighborhood and you'll come across a newly built home on Sheridan Street.
The 1,000-square-foot property isn't just any new build.
“We are standing on the porch of the first 3D printed home in Michigan," Evelyn Woodman told 7 Action News.
She's the co-founder of the nonprofit Citizens Robotic, alongside her father Tom Woodman.
“We started working on this 3 1/2, 4 years ago. We saw they were 3D printing homes abroad," Evelyn Woodman recalled.
By now, you may have seen 3D printers in action on a smaller scale. Evelyn Woodman said it’s the exact same concept.
She and her father figured Detroit has the technology and land to put it use on a larger scale and in industry experiencing a labor shortage.
“So, we got a used printer from the automotive industry and we assembled our small team of four people and started to learn how to print in our facility in Southwest Detroit,” she explained.
So, which parts of the two-bedroom home are 3D printed? Evelyn Woodman said the exterior of the home and the two curved walls inside are.
The material is mortar.
“It’s a very dense material. So, it extrudes like toothpaste. You can imagine the robot extruding beats of this stuff as it printing,” Fernando Bales, build lab manager for Citizens Robotic, explained.
“The 3D printing aspect of this significantly helps in making this house airtight.”
Bales said that’s energy efficiency. On top of that, he said the home is "net zero" ready, which means solar panels can be installed on the roof if the owner chooses to do so. He said that translates to cost savings on the energy bill.
Bales said the home's layout is also suitable for someone with physical challenges.
As for costs, he said construction costs are comparable or maybe a little more than a traditional build at this point. However, he said the home is a better quality.
Evelyn Woodman said the home's price will list for $224,500.
“So while we’re going to be trying this new thing, we encourage everybody who can maybe try to solve the affordable housing crisis, keep trying,” Evelyn Woodman said.
She said she anticipates the home will be complete before the end of the year.
