First 3D Printed residential home in Canada to be built in Leamington, Ont.
Habitat for Humanity and a handful of partner organizations are putting years of research to practice to build the first ever 3D printed home for residential use in Leamington, Ont.
“We’re going to 3D print some houses! I know it sounds a bit insane,” says Fiona Coughlin, the executive director at Habitat for Humanity Windsor Essex. But it’s actually very real.
Habitat for Humanity is teaming up with Building Bridges Erie Shores to build four tiny homes in Leamington.
Dr. Sreekanta Das, a civil engineering professor at the University of Windsor has been researching techniques for concrete 3D printed homes for two years and feels the innovation is now ready for use in a build.
The 3D printing robotic arm can lay row upon row of concrete in a very short period of time, eliminating the need for an entire crew of workers, making it a very time-efficient process.
“You can print a small house a 600 square feet house my guess would be in three days, with two people,” says Dr. Das.
That’s exciting news for the affordable housing space, solving both the issues of cost and skilled labour shortages.
“That we can affect change and make it easier and faster and cheaper to build affordable housing,” says Coughlin.
Krista Rempel, the executive director of The Bridge Youth Resource Centre, says the plan is to build a tiny home community in Leamington including 42 homes over the next two years. The four homes will kick-start the project, with the remainder being modular homes.
“I think it is so important for our region,” says Rempel. “Housing ends homelessness and we want to make sure we are addressing the needs around this issue.”
The University of Windsor has the largest structural engineering lab in the country.
Das says his research is focusing on load testing, thermal testing, researching new materials and more.
Habitat for Humanity has received $500,000 from the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, but Das is hoping for additional funding to continue his research and bring the idea to mainstream building.
“I’m hoping this information will help the future building code,” he says.
If all goes to plan, construction of the four 3D printed tiny homes should start mid-January and wrap up by the end of March.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Canada Post temporarily laying off striking workers, union says
The union representing Canada Post workers says the Crown corporation has been laying striking employees off as the labour action by more than 55,000 workers approaches the two-week mark.
Canadian woman shares methanol poisoning story in wake of death investigation in Laos hostel
Cuddling on the couch with her dog, Ducky, no one would notice that anything is different about Ashley King. Even when she walks across the living room, she doesn’t miss a step. But the 32-year-old has gotten used to functioning with only two per cent vision.
Calgary man dead following tragic incident while helping stranded driver
A man died after being pinned under a vehicle while trying to help another motorist in northwest Calgary.
W5 Investigates 'Let me rot in Canada,' pleads Canadian ISIS suspect from secret Syrian prison
W5's Avery Haines tells the story of Jack Letts, a Canadian Muslim convert in a Syrian jail, accused of being a member of ISIS. In part two of a three-part investigation, Haines speaks with Letts, who issues a plea to return to Canada to face justice.
Supreme Court of Canada declines to hear appeal from former fashion mogul Nygard
The Supreme Court of Canada will not hear an appeal from former fashion mogul Peter Nygard.
U.S. university says linebacker remains in stable condition, hours after announcing his death
Alabama A&M linebacker Medrick Burnett Jr. remains hospitalized with a head injury suffered in an October game, the school said hours after announcing that he had died.
Carrot recall for E. coli risks updated with additional product, correction: CFIA
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) has published an update to a recent national recall on organic carrot brands over E. coli contamination risks.
DEVELOPING Liberals, NDP expected to pass GST holiday in House of Commons today, without $250 rebate
Legislation to create a two-month-long GST holiday is expected to pass today after the federal finance minister separated the GST break from a promise to also send $250 to most working Canadians in the spring.
Five-time Grand Slam champion Iga Swiatek accepts a one-month suspension in doping case
Five-time Grand Slam champion Iga Swiatek accepted a one-month suspension after testing positive for the banned substance trimetazidine, a heart medication known as TMZ, the International Tennis Integrity Agency announced Thursday.