A new concrete-free, net-zero home in California is a sea change for sustainable building, producing 99% less waste than traditional building methods.
With house prices in the US’s most populous state already sky high, the pressing need for new housing, and California’s law requiring all new residential construction to be net-zero, is driving is driving innovation within the construction sector.
Here in the Golden State a company called Mighty Buildings is aiming to shake things up with its high-quality, stunning take on more sustainable housing. This two-bed, two-bath home is the world’s first 3D-printed, net-zero energy dwelling.
The first of a planned 20+ home community in Southern California, its 3D-printed, modular design allows for speedy construction that sees units completed in half the time that would usually be required using traditional construction methods.
Raising the bar for sustainable construction
The company’s patented Mighty Kit System™ uses pre-built, precision engineered panels produced in their automated off-site factory. The panels are made from a patented composite stone material that is coated with epoxy-based primer and acrylic paint and filled with a near-zero waste insulation process.
“Housing developers will no longer have to choose between profitability, quality, design and protecting the planet.” – Slava Solonitsyn, Mighty Buildings CEO
The unit’s strength is assured through its light steel framing, which adds load-bearing capacity, is infinitely recyclable, and can also be precision manufactured off-site to support the accelerated construction process.
The 3D-printed Light Stone Material used in unit is stronger and lighter than concrete and is composed of 60% sustainably sourced and recycled components. It is also fast curing while remaining flexible. This underpins the unit’s modern design, allowing for beautiful curving designs while reducing environmental impact.
“We are excited to be the first company in the world to complete what we believe to be the sustainable housing standard of the future,” said Mighty Buildings CEO Slava Solonitsyn. “As a result, housing developers will no longer have to choose between profitability, quality, design and protecting the planet.”
A new, more sustainable neighbourhood
In the searing heat of The Golden State’s Desert Hot Springs sits the site for a 20-home community of Mighty Buildings homes. Originally the company offered one-off homes to individual buyers, but with each unit able to be constructed in just 4-5 months, developers soon began to take an interest.
There are also efficiency advantages that come from building communities instead of single units. A connected system of solar panels, and heat pump systems that can reduce heating energy by 50%, further burnish the building’s environmental credentials.
With the need for more climate-friendly building methods and with rising populations in need of housing, this steel- and Light Stone Material-built home could represent a brighter and more sustainable future.
Images: Mighty Building