Photo: CHRIS DELMAS / Getty Images
For: Real America News Updated 15 Apr 2022, 18: 21 pm EDT
Alquist 3D, an Iowa-based company, is revolutionizing the way we fight America’s affordable housing crisis and has begun to build three-bedroom concrete homes in Virginia that are ready in just 30 hours through a 3D printer.
The company partnered with the Habitat for Humanity Peninsula & Greater Williamsburg Foundation and the past 22 December handed over the keys to the first house.
The founder and executive director of the company, Zach Mannheimer, says that 3D printing reduces costs by up to 18 % by reducing the workforce, materials and time.
Although While there are concerns about the displacement of traditional construction work and some environmental impacts of this method, Mannheimer believes his technology has potential.
“People can’t afford a house. That is the American dream, or rather it was the American dream. We have to get back to that. 3D printing technology is one way to do it,” he said.
A solution for those who earn minimum wage
Alquist’s goal is build 200 3D printed houses in the next three years, primarily in Southwest Virginia, with prices starting at $200,000 dollars.
According to the Coalition National Low Income Housing Fund, there is currently nowhere in the country where someone working full time on minimum wage can afford to rent a two-bedroom apartment, let alone buy a new house.
As a result of the covid pandemic-19, the wood prices have risen by 50%. A typical house built with sticks now costs, on average, $5,000 more than 2020, according to company data.
Mannheimer says the company is partnering with governments local and state to fix that.
Alquist plans to work with communities in the US to develop new single-family, multi-family, mixed-use and senior residential units.
In addition, it also seeks to venture into the construction of roads, elevator shafts, retaining walls and other traditional concrete structures using 3D printing technology .
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