An Austin startup can 3D-print tiny homes in 24 hours for a fraction of the cost of traditional homebuilding — here's how Icon could revolutionize affordable housing

Icon cofounder Evan Loomis told Business Insider that pinpointing an exact cost estimate is tricky, but the company successfully printed a 350-square-foot proof-of-concept home for $10,000 in 24 hours in 2018.
The company isn't the first to design 3D printing technology for home building, but its unique customization and on-site construction could be revolutionary feats amid in the US for affordable housing.
Icon's latest 3D printer, the Vulcan ll, is available for purchase and is already being put to use.
The Austin-based Cielo Property Group is using the printer to construct homes for formerly homeless residents at Community First Village. New Story, a nonprofit dedicated to housing families in need in the developing world, is building 50 homes in Latin America using the technology.
"Our hope is that this isn't a novelty, but this is actually the new way of construction for the future," Loomis said.
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The number of affordable homes in the US is dwindling, and there isnt a lot of room to improve upon traditional home construction methods, especially when it comes to cutting costs, Loomis said.

BusinessInsider USA Images

Robert Galbraith/Reuters

Source: CNBC

So the team at Icon set out to reimagine how a home could be constructed from the ground up and developed a 3D printer capable of building a home up to 2,000 square feet in under three days. Smaller homes can be built in 24 hours.

BusinessInsider USA Images

Katie Canales/Business Insider

According to Realtor, it costs an average of $289,415 to build a new home. And while Loomis said its difficult to give an exact estimate of how much it costs Icon to print a home, the companys goal is to cut costs by 30% to 50%.

BusinessInsider USA Images

Katie Canales/Business Insider

Source: Realtor

"Were not quite there yet, but that future isnt science fiction," Loomis said.

BusinessInsider USA Images

Katie Canales/Business Insider

In 2018, Icon built a 350-square-foot home in East Austin that cost $10,000 to print, with the overall projects cost clocking in at $40,000. Icon claims that the home is the countrys first permitted 3D-printed home.

BusinessInsider USA Images

Courtesy of Icon

For the home to secure a building permit, civil engineers with the city of Austin had to declare the unit suitable for humans to live in, which Loomis said is "a pretty tough designation" to receive. Its being used as an office currently.

BusinessInsider USA Images

Courtesy of Icon

Icon isnt the first to develop 3D printing technology for home building, but the companys unique on-site printing could be revolutionary as traditional construction costs continue to rise, Loomis said.

BusinessInsider USA Images

Katie Canales/Business Insider

Usually, with prefab or mobile homes, units are manufactured in an off-site factory and then shipped to their final location, Loomis said.

BusinessInsider USA Images

Katie Canales/Business Insider

But with Icon, its printers are shipped to where the unit is slated to be located and then is constructed on the spot using a device with few human crew members needed.

BusinessInsider USA Images

Katie Canales/Business Insider

The Vulcan ll the latest iteration of its printing technology is also fully automated, including the mixing and the pumping of the proprietary concrete used to build to the actual building of the unit, Loomis said.

BusinessInsider USA Images

Courtesy of Icon

"Were taking concrete, putting it into our printer, and a house is coming out the other end," Loomis said.

BusinessInsider USA Images

Courtesy of Icon

Icons Vulcan ll printer is currently available for purchase, and the company already has customers putting its technology to good use.

BusinessInsider USA Images

Katie Canales/Business Insider

The Vulcan ll was recently used to build a 400-square-foot welcome center for Austins Community First Village, a project that houses a portion of the citys chronic homeless population.

BusinessInsider USA Images

Katie Canales/Business Insider

The welcome center is where the village will receive and process new and prospective residents.

BusinessInsider USA Images

Katie Canales/Business Insider

For the villages Phase II expansion, the printer will be used to construct six more homes for formerly homeless residents to live in, Loomis said. All of the units will look different.

BusinessInsider USA Images

Katie Canales/Business Insider

That customization is another aspect of Icons technology that makes it stand out, Loomis said.

BusinessInsider USA Images

Katie Canales/Business Insider

"You can upload a design file of what you want your house to look like, and the printer prints it," Loomis said.

BusinessInsider USA Images

Katie Canales/Business Insider

For the Community First project, the Vulcan ll printer was commissioned by the Austin-based Cielo Property Group, which will use the printer exclusively to construct affordable homes in the Austin area.

BusinessInsider USA Images

Katie Canales/Business Insider

Source: Austin Curbed

The printed East Austin home was built with its partnership with New Story, a nonprofit organization, in mind. Theres another Vulcan ll printer in Latin America building a community of 50 homes for families in need.

BusinessInsider USA Images

Courtesy of Icon

And Icon recently won fourth place in a NASA 3D-Printed Habitat Competition for its technology, meaning there could be a future for the company creating sustainable shelters for humans in space.

BusinessInsider USA Images

Katie Canales/Business Insider

Source: Icon

But for now, Loomis said the team is focused on solving housing issues at a global level.

BusinessInsider USA Images

Katie Canales/Business Insider

"Its kind of on us to begin to scale that technology so that were not just doing one or two or six at Community First, but then were delivering on the millions and millions of homes that need to be built to solve this critical issue," Loomis said.

BusinessInsider USA Images

Katie Canales/Business Insider

An Austin startup can 3D-print tiny homes in 24 hours for a fraction of the cost of traditional homebuilding — here's how Icon could revolutionize affordable housing

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The number of affordable homes in the US is dwindling, and there isnt a lot of room to improve upon traditional home construction methods, especially when it comes to cutting costs, Loomis said.

So the team at Icon set out to reimagine how a home could be constructed from the ground up and developed a 3D printer capable of building a home up to 2,000 square feet in under three days. Smaller homes can be built in 24 hours.

According to Realtor, it costs an average of $289,415 to build a new home. And while Loomis said its difficult to give an exact estimate of how much it costs Icon to print a home, the companys goal is to cut costs by 30% to 50%.

"Were not quite there yet, but that future isnt science fiction," Loomis said.

In 2018, Icon built a 350-square-foot home in East Austin that cost $10,000 to print, with the overall projects cost clocking in at $40,000. Icon claims that the home is the countrys first permitted 3D-printed home.

For the home to secure a building permit, civil engineers with the city of Austin had to declare the unit suitable for humans to live in, which Loomis said is "a pretty tough designation" to receive. Its being used as an office currently.

Icon isnt the first to develop 3D printing technology for home building, but the companys unique on-site printing could be revolutionary as traditional construction costs continue to rise, Loomis said.

Usually, with prefab or mobile homes, units are manufactured in an off-site factory and then shipped to their final location, Loomis said.

But with Icon, its printers are shipped to where the unit is slated to be located and then is constructed on the spot using a device with few human crew members needed.

The Vulcan ll the latest iteration of its printing technology is also fully automated, including the mixing and the pumping of the proprietary concrete used to build to the actual building of the unit, Loomis said.

"Were taking concrete, putting it into our printer, and a house is coming out the other end," Loomis said.

Icons Vulcan ll printer is currently available for purchase, and the company already has customers putting its technology to good use.

The Vulcan ll was recently used to build a 400-square-foot welcome center for Austins Community First Village, a project that houses a portion of the citys chronic homeless population.

The welcome center is where the village will receive and process new and prospective residents.

For the villages Phase II expansion, the printer will be used to construct six more homes for formerly homeless residents to live in, Loomis said. All of the units will look different.

That customization is another aspect of Icons technology that makes it stand out, Loomis said.

"You can upload a design file of what you want your house to look like, and the printer prints it," Loomis said.

For the Community First project, the Vulcan ll printer was commissioned by the Austin-based Cielo Property Group, which will use the printer exclusively to construct affordable homes in the Austin area.

The printed East Austin home was built with its partnership with New Story, a nonprofit organization, in mind. Theres another Vulcan ll printer in Latin America building a community of 50 homes for families in need.

And Icon recently won fourth place in a NASA 3D-Printed Habitat Competition for its technology, meaning there could be a future for the company creating sustainable shelters for humans in space.

But for now, Loomis said the team is focused on solving housing issues at a global level.

"Its kind of on us to begin to scale that technology so that were not just doing one or two or six at Community First, but then were delivering on the millions and millions of homes that need to be built to solve this critical issue," Loomis said.

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An Austin startup can 3D-print tiny homes in 24 hours for a fraction of the cost of traditional homebuilding — here's how Icon could revolutionize affordable housing

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The number of affordable homes in the US is dwindling, and there isnt a lot of room to improve upon traditional home construction methods, especially when it comes to cutting costs, Loomis said.

So the team at Icon set out to reimagine how a home could be constructed from the ground up and developed a 3D printer capable of building a home up to 2,000 square feet in under three days. Smaller homes can be built in 24 hours.

According to Realtor, it costs an average of $289,415 to build a new home. And while Loomis said its difficult to give an exact estimate of how much it costs Icon to print a home, the companys goal is to cut costs by 30% to 50%.

"Were not quite there yet, but that future isnt science fiction," Loomis said.

In 2018, Icon built a 350-square-foot home in East Austin that cost $10,000 to print, with the overall projects cost clocking in at $40,000. Icon claims that the home is the countrys first permitted 3D-printed home.

For the home to secure a building permit, civil engineers with the city of Austin had to declare the unit suitable for humans to live in, which Loomis said is "a pretty tough designation" to receive. Its being used as an office currently.

Icon isnt the first to develop 3D printing technology for home building, but the companys unique on-site printing could be revolutionary as traditional construction costs continue to rise, Loomis said.

Usually, with prefab or mobile homes, units are manufactured in an off-site factory and then shipped to their final location, Loomis said.

But with Icon, its printers are shipped to where the unit is slated to be located and then is constructed on the spot using a device with few human crew members needed.

The Vulcan ll the latest iteration of its printing technology is also fully automated, including the mixing and the pumping of the proprietary concrete used to build to the actual building of the unit, Loomis said.

"Were taking concrete, putting it into our printer, and a house is coming out the other end," Loomis said.

Icons Vulcan ll printer is currently available for purchase, and the company already has customers putting its technology to good use.

The Vulcan ll was recently used to build a 400-square-foot welcome center for Austins Community First Village, a project that houses a portion of the citys chronic homeless population.

The welcome center is where the village will receive and process new and prospective residents.

For the villages Phase II expansion, the printer will be used to construct six more homes for formerly homeless residents to live in, Loomis said. All of the units will look different.

That customization is another aspect of Icons technology that makes it stand out, Loomis said.

"You can upload a design file of what you want your house to look like, and the printer prints it," Loomis said.

For the Community First project, the Vulcan ll printer was commissioned by the Austin-based Cielo Property Group, which will use the printer exclusively to construct affordable homes in the Austin area.

The printed East Austin home was built with its partnership with New Story, a nonprofit organization, in mind. Theres another Vulcan ll printer in Latin America building a community of 50 homes for families in need.

And Icon recently won fourth place in a NASA 3D-Printed Habitat Competition for its technology, meaning there could be a future for the company creating sustainable shelters for humans in space.

But for now, Loomis said the team is focused on solving housing issues at a global level.

"Its kind of on us to begin to scale that technology so that were not just doing one or two or six at Community First, but then were delivering on the millions and millions of homes that need to be built to solve this critical issue," Loomis said.

FOLLOW BUSINESS INSIDER AFRICA

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