When it comes to property, $20,000 doesn’t usually get you much. That’s not the case with Azure Printed Homes, which offers not only cost-effective but also sustainable housing as the world’s first robotically 3D-printed homes made using recycled plastic.
The Los Angeles-based start-up was founded by British engineer Ross Maguire and real-estate developer Gene Eidelman in 2019 to offer a sustainable, fast, and economical approach to building. The company uses around 100,000 plastic bottles to build its base 120 sq ft model, utilising its proprietary 3D printer, engineered by Maguire, that uses recycled plastic as its primary material. Because they’re printed, they can be built up to 70% faster than traditional construction models, with zero waste incurred from each Azure-printed home.
According to the company, more than 60% of its print material comes from recycled plastic—a plastic polymer most commonly seen in plastic bottles and food packaging—which is non-toxic and VOC-free. Moreover, the material is resistant to wear and tear, water-tight, and can withstand extreme temperatures and seismic activity. (Read more)
