3D printed construction lowers costs, saves time

By Greg Kohlrieser, Strategic Storyteller

The Corporation to Develop Communities of Tampa, Inc. (CDC of Tampa), a NeighborWorks organization in Florida, has acquired a 3D construction printer and is set to build their first 3D printed home. Embracing this innovative technology will enable them to more quickly build homes that are significantly less expensive to construct and also cost-efficient for the homeowner. 

“A few years back, we were struggling to build affordable housing after the pandemic. The cost of materials just skyrocketed,” says Will Crawford, Acquisitions and Special Projects Manager for CDC of Tampa. “It made a huge jump in what the housing was costing versus what people in the area really could afford, even with subsidies.”

That’s when Hillsborough County officials approached CDC of Tampa regarding available funding for affordable housing, particularly utilizing 3D printed construction. This resulted in the organization being awarded a $500,000 grant to purchase a 3D construction printer. CDC of Tampa had already won several bids for projects through the county, so it was a good fit to use the printer for these projects. 

Crawford, a general contractor and native of Tallahassee, joined CDC of Tampa in 2021 and is no stranger to 3D printed construction. He’s researched it for many years. Plus, the first permitted 3D-printed home in Florida was completed in his hometown in 2022. Crawford and the general contractor working on the project became friends early on, and, as a result, he essentially observed its construction from start to finish. “I was able to really get an understanding of exactly what a 3D printed house was,” Crawford says.  Armed with knowledge and now with funding, Crawford and the CDC of Tampa team researched various printer options and decided to purchase a robotic arm 3D printer from a company in Florida. Since the robotic arm printer had a lower price tag, they were able to purchase two. 

How the 3D printer works for construction

Most people are familiar with 3D printers that make real-life objects using digital designs. The results — from toys to prosthetics — are often made from plastic or resin. A 3D construction printer is much larger and uses heavy-duty construction materials to build a structure.

The robotic arm printer operates on a 20-foot rail system, moving back and forth and printing layer by layer. It’s essentially a robot holding a hose and nozzle. The computer system tells it what to print using mortar, cement or other similar building materials. Basically, if there’s a way to pump it through a hose, you can use it, Crawford says. And, contrary to what some may think, 3D printing doesn’t always mean simple and plain designs. For example, Crawford noted that if someone wanted a design that included a shape, such as a round sphere, that stuck out five feet up in the middle of a wall, the printer technically could do it. 

CDC of Tampa also chose the robotic arm printer because it’s easier to move and transport than other types of construction printers on the market. Two people can move it by hand, and it is easily transported with a truck and trailer. The printer CDC of Tampa purchased can also be powered by a regular 120-volt outlet. “We can just plug right in, and then we’re off to the races,” Crawford said. 

Benefits for the builder

Building with a 3D printer can be done with a smaller crew of builders, so the labor cost is lower. The efficiency of the building materials results in a significant savings, and homes can be built quicker, in a matter of days or weeks. There are also many parts of the construction process that remain the same. For example, the home that CDC of Tampa is building will have 3D printed exterior walls, with wood-framed interior walls. The project will still need an electrician, plumber, a roofer, and a team to pour the foundation.

Benefits for the homeowner

One of the main benefits of a 3D printed home for the homeowner is efficiency. While 3D printing lowers construction costs for builders, those savings are also passed on to the homeowner. Crawford gave the example that a roughly 1,500-square-foot home with 3D printed walls will only need a two-ton HVAC unit, a size typically used for one- and two-bedroom apartments, instead of a four-ton unit. This is attributed to the higher “R-value,” or thermal resistance, of the 3D printed building materials, Crawford says. In addition, 3D printed walls allow for the creation of hallow walls that can be filled with a variety of insulation materials. This approach offers more flexibility compared to traditional construction where wall thickness and insulation choices are more limited.

“So, in comparison, this is a full house with three bedrooms, two baths using the same size unit as a one- or two-bedroom apartment,” Crawford says. “It’s truly going to come back to the homeowner because their energy bill is going to be a lot cheaper than it would be with a traditional build.” 

It's also going to be a structurally safe home. It will be fire resistant, water resistant, and wind resist — able to withstand hurricanes. That makes this type of housing a good fit for Florida, which has the highest disaster costs of any state in the U.S. From 1980 to 2024, the state saw 94 weather-related disasters with losses of more than $1 billion each. 

Now in the final stages of the permitting process, CDC of Tampa has plans to grow in scale after completing this first 3D printed house. They’ll build four more, followed by a larger project consisting of 20 homes. This allows them to start small and continue to learn as they go. 

Advice for other community developers

Other NeighborWorks network organizations are also embracing the new technology. Penquis, for example, a NeighborWorks network organization in Maine, has partnered with the University of Maine and MaineHousing to create nine homes with 3D printing, using recycled plastic and wood fiber as part of a “bio-based” neighborhood.

 “With all the challenges facing affordable housing developers today, it is critical for developers to think differently and come up with new strategies and alternative options to save on cost, without compromising the quality of the project,” said Edith Love, senior director of the Southern Region for NeighborWorks. That’s what’s happening in Maine, “and CDC of Tampa has done just that with their investment in 3D printing construction.”

Crawford advises organizations interested in 3D printed construction to make sure they do the research to understand the technology. 

He also recommends using a house design that is created for 3D printers, as opposed to just taking blueprints from another house and trying to convert it. “We were able to learn from that. Our home is actually designed for a robotic arm printer,” Crawford said. A blueprint for a 3D printed home will have it broken down by elements to be printed and show the footprint of the printer and where it’s going to print.

In addition, Crawford urges other organizations to work in collaboration with the building departments in their municipalities to help them learn and better understand. This will help speed up the permitting process.