Summary Reader Response - Draft 2

ICON’s website, aptly titled “Technology” (n.d.), introduces the Vulcan Construction System, a 3D Concrete Printing (3DCP) construction system that operates through unifying hardware, software, and construction materials. Vulcan is a gantry-system-based, large-scale construction-use 3D printer. Designed to be transported quickly and assembled on-site, as reported by Yashar et al. (2023) for their work with NASA, it is capable of printing volumes up to 38 thousand cubic feet without needing to be repositioned. Magma is a portable factory that dries, hydrates, and adjusts the mixing formula for Lavacrete in real-time based on site conditions. Once ready for printing, Lavacrete is then supplied from Magma to Vulcan. Lavacrete is a proprietary high-strength cement-based material, designed for use with Magma and Vulcan, with compressive strength rated at 2000 - 3500 psi. Lastly, BuildOS is a collection of software products that makes up ICON’s operating system, boasting CAD and print planning capabilities, as well as real-time machine learning and predictive analytics through interfacing with Vulcan and Magma, assisting workers in controlling and refining the printing process.

The Vulcan Construction System has proven itself more than just a gimmick, as housing projects built using the system have showcased advantages against conventional housing construction methods in the United States, with lower overall construction costs and shorter construction time. Though, this construction system at present cannot be applied to build multiple-story buildings due to being height-limited by the gantry.

With regards to construction costs, a study on the environmental footprint and economics of 3D-printed housing by Abdalla et al. (2021) finds that while the lifecycle cost of a 3DCP construction system contributes to over 80% of expenditure increase, the exclusion of steel, concrete and formworks found in conventionally constructed concrete housing resulted in 49% of construction materials savings. The study thus concludes a 3D-printed house boasts “78% reduction in the overall capital costs when compared to conventional construction methods.” A paper by Abou Yassin et al. (2019) provides simulation data showing that in the first month of a construction project, while 3DCP construction costs are 9 times higher than conventional construction costs initially due to purchase cost of machine, 3DCP costs will eventually be half of conventional costs by the tenth month, due to lower maintenance and operation costs with 3DCP construction, and compounding labor costs over time associated with conventional construction.

Indeed, ICON’s first 3DCP project in 2018, Chicon House, saw concrete walls printed for the project costing 10,000USD (ICON, 2018; Lee, 2018). While not reflective the full construction cost of Chicon House, the average cost of residential ground up construction in Texas was 266USD/square-foot in 2021 (Builders United, 2021), which indicates an average cost of 93,100USD when scaled up to 350 square-feet, the floor area of Chicon House. Hence, the cost comparisons made by the sources mentioned thus far hold up well. Abdalla et al. (2021) also notes in their study “…the construction time frame of the 3D printed house was approximately 2 weeks, whereas the conventionally built house was 4 months…” The Chicon House had its concrete walls completed in 47 hours of cumulative print time (ICON, 2018). ICON’s subsequent 3DCP project in Tabasco, Mexico saw the completion of two 500 square-foot homes, each of their walls completed in 24 hours of cumulative print time (ICON, 2019).

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Reference List:

ICON. (n.d.) Technology – ICON. https://www.iconbuild.com/technology

Yashar, M., Glasgow, C., Mehlomakulu, B., Ballard, J., Salazar, J. O., Mauer, S., Covey, S. (2023) Mars Dune Alpha: A 3D-Printed Habitat by ICON/BIG for NASA's Crew Health and Performance Exploration Analog (CHAPEA). Earth and Space 2022 - Space Exploration, Utilization, Engineering, and Construction in Extreme Environments, 976-984. https://ascelibrary.org/doi/epdf/10.1061/9780784484470.082

Abdalla et al. - https://doi.org/10.3390/su132111978

Abou Yassin et al. - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.autcon.2019.103040

ICON. (2018) The Chicon House – ICON. https://www.iconbuild.com/projects/chicon-house

Lee, D. (2018) 3D-printed homes turn sludge into shelter. https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-43411581

Builders United. (2021) TEXAS - CONSTRUCTION COST PER SQUARE FOOT. https://buildersunited.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/TX-Q3-2021.pdf

ICON. (2019) ICON + New Story + ECHALE Unveil First Homes in 3D-Printed Community. https://www.iconbuild.com/newsroom/icon-new-story-echale-unveil-first-homes-in-3d-printed-community