Replaces multiple systems of the home in one technology (foundation, structure, insulation, interior & exterior sheathing, moisture barrier, finished surfaces, etc.).3D Printing produces a continuous, unbroken thermal envelope (comfort & energy efficiency).Concrete has a high thermal mass (comfort & energy efficiency).Concrete is a well understood, affordable, resilient material.By contrast, 3D printing offers the following: Also, conventional materials like drywall and particle board are some of the least resilient materials ever invented. What benefits does 3D printing provide for homebuilding?Ĭonventional construction is slow, fragmented, wasteful, and has poor thermal properties which increase energy use, increase operating costs, and decrease comfort. ICON currently works with several partners in the US and is currently printing homes in Austin, TX, serving the chronically homeless. For this project, we were able to partner with a local partner in Mexico with whom we’ve worked for many years. New Story is able to best leverage our expertise and impact by working in countries similar to the places where we already work. Plans were then edited and shown to families for final buy-in. The community and home designs presented to the families through our LPD process for feedback. What was the community and home design process?Īll New Story communities use a Lean Participatory Design process to involve families in the home and community planning. There will be 50 total 3D printed homes in this community two of them are already completed. – Proximity for teams traveling from the USĪdditionally, through our family selection process, we found that there is an extreme need for housing in the area. While the need is great in all of the locations where we work, this location in Mexico was the best selection for the 3D printed community because of: We have built three communities in Mexico using traditional construction and have two under construction with our partners ECHALE. With any community New Story builds, we have a rigorous partner, country, and community vetting process. How did you decide on the location for this community? Traditional wear & tear on homes is covered by the families. This allows us to identify any community issues that need to be addressed by New Story. Families are surveyed before home intervention and again at various milestones following move-in. New Story monitors home & community aging through our Impact Data Program. Homes will require the same maintenance as traditional CMY block homes. What type of maintenance will the houses require? What is the estimated cost of maintenance and is this covered by the families or New Story? We hire locals for all of the build out and do not expect to decrease the numbers of individuals hired as compared to traditional construction. The mortgage funds don’t return to New Story or ECHALE, but rather are pooled into a community investment fund where families over time vote on how the funds are used.īy investing into their homes, families are more likely to stay in the homes long-term, take better care of the community, and provide more meaningful feedback through the planning process.īuild out on the homes is still required for land clearing, foundations, doors, windows, and roofs. The rest of the cost of the home is considered a subsidy from New Story. The total mortgage amount is around 400 pesos a month, a manageable amount even for very low income families, and lasts for 7 years. Move-in date will be determined when all homes are complete.įamilies receive the homes at a zero interest, zero profit mortgage. After surveying, we select the families who have the greatest physical and financial need for a home. Once an area has been identified, we work with partners to survey each family individually to understand their specific circumstances.ģ. We work closely with nonprofit partners to identify an area with the greatest need.Ģ. Additionally, most of the homes the families currently live in are prone to flooding because of their proximity to the nearby river, which overflows during the rainy season.įamilies are selected using a three part process:ġ. Families in this community work in a variety of occupations, and work often changes based on what is available in each season. The 50 families in this community have an average median income of $76.50 per month, which is well below the lowest threshold we typically require of families we serve in Mexico. At the outset of the project, we partnered with local government officials to survey over 500 families in the area, to identify those with the greatest need. These families are some of the lowest income, highest need families we have ever served. What are the circumstances for the community and families this project is impacting?