Here’s to Sustainable, Affordable Home Construction!

In Colombia, 3D printers are set to build affordable housing from soil, clay, cement, and natural fibres.

The United Nations Development Program has recently acquired a Crane WASP – also known as the “infinity 3D printer” – in a project that is set to build houses for as little as $1,000 each. Once the Crane WASP arrives in an area, it relies largely on natural resources, allowing for much greater efficiency, affordability, and sustainability.

Currently, two of three Colombian families are considered to live in a home with significant structural damage. One idea for the Crane WASP is that if multiple were linked together, it would soon be possible to simultaneously build entire villages out of natural resources. 3D printing to build houses is not new, but until now, previous machines were far too heavy to transport and set up in remote places that lacked infrastructure. The Crane WASP mitigates this problem because it is more versatile and easily transported. While construction in Colombia has not officially begun, it seems that 3D printing may be necessary to ensure greater housing security, particularly in poorer, rural areas.