This Sweet 3D Printed House from UMaine is the First of Its Kind

The University of Maine held a ribbon cutting this week for a totally recyclable house, made with their 3D printer.

What Makes This 3D Printed House Unique?

If you follow engineering, you're probably ready to point out to me that this is not the first house to be made by a 3D printer. And you would be right. I believe that happened a couple of years ago. But this adorable house that was unveiled on November 21st at the University of Maine's Advanced Structures and Composite Center has a feature that none of the others possessed.

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The BioHome3D (cool name, huh?) is the first 3D house made entirely of bio-based materials. That means the entire house is recyclable, made entirely of wood fibers and bio-resins, and it even features 100% wood insulation. U-Maine's engineering team developed the house as a way to address not only the state's housing shortage but also the labor shortages and supply chain issues that are contributing to it. One thing we have plenty of, in Maine, is wood fiber. Plus, the homes can be customized to fit smaller spaces or larger families.

Photo courtesy of Taylor Ward, University of Maine

Is This House Ready to Go or Is There More to Be Done?

Several dignitaries attended Monday's ribbon-cutting, including Governor Janet Mills, who congratulated the team, led by Dr. Habib Dagher.

With its innovative BioHome3D, UMaine's Advanced Structures and Composites Center is thinking creatively about how we can tackle our housing shortage, strengthen our forest products industry, and deliver people a safe place to live so they can contribute to our economy.

The BioHome3D prototype is currently located on a foundation, outside the Advanced Structures and Composites Center, on the Orono campus. It's equipped with thermal, environmental, and structural sensors so the engineering team can monitor how it handles a Maine winter. The house was printed in four pieces, which were then moved to the site. Putting those pieces together only took about 12 hours, with electricity hooked up in two hours.

What Else Has Been 3D Printed at UMaine?

All of this was made possible thanks to the world's largest polymer 3D printer, located at the University of Maine, which developed the world's largest 3-D printed boat.

Want to see inside? Let's take a peek at the interior, compliments of Taylor Ward, with the University of Maine.

This Sweet 3D Printed House from UMaine is the First of Its Kind

Created by the largest 3D printer in the world, which is located at the University of Maine in Orono, this totally recyclable house is made entirely of bio-based materials.