3D-Printed Homes Are Here – Will They Change Housing Forever?

  • Diana Olick reported on “Squawk on the Street” from Georgetown, Texas, where Lennar (LEN) and Icon 3D-printed 100 homes starting at just under $400,000, using 11 printers to produce two homes weekly, offering durability and solar power.
  • Lennar’s  experiment, the world’s largest 3D-printed community, led to a second project with 200 homes planned nearby at lower costs, using domestic concrete to avoid tariffs, signaling a tech-driven shift in housing solutions.

housing

In Georgetown, Texas, just outside Austin, CNBC’s Diana Olick explored a groundbreaking solution to the nation’s affordable housing shortage on “Squawk on the Street,” spotlighting a community of 100 homes 3D-printed by Lennar (LEN), the second-largest U.S. home builder, in partnership with Icon, a tech-driven construction firm. These homes, starting at just under $400,000, feature solar power and come in two- and three-bedroom layouts, boasting modern amenities like tall doors and cement floors, all while showcasing durability against hurricanes and fires, as noted by Lennar’s Executive Chairman Stuart Miller. The walls, described as feeling like wide corduroy, were churned out by Icon’s printers – scaling from two to 11 units – producing two homes weekly in the second year, each machine replacing over a dozen workers and running 24 hours a day, though roofs remain conventionally built.

This pioneering effort, the world’s largest 3D-printed neighborhood, slashed construction timelines compared to traditional methods, with Miller emphasizing its potential to reshape the housing market by meeting future demands efficiently. Homeowners praised the blend of energy efficiency, practicality, and aesthetics, all at a competitive price point, making these homes a standout choice. Initially an experiment, the project saw higher costs as Lennar refined the process, but Miller revealed to Olick – exclusively on CNBC – that a second community, twice as large with 200 homes, is already underway seven miles away, promising lower costs and greater scale. Adding a strategic twist, Icon’s CEO confirmed all concrete was U.S.-sourced, dodging tariff concerns and positioning this as a resilient model amid economic uncertainties. It’s worth noting that this fusion of technology and housing hints at a scalable fix for supply woes, with Lennar and Icon proving 3D printing can deliver faster, stronger, and smarter homes.

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