Mighty Buildings is 3D-printing houses with recycled materials

Available models include 350-square-foot studios and a three-bedroom, two-bathroom home.

Photo Credit: Mighty Buildings

Mighty Buildings, a new business from Oakland, California, promises to build — or really, print — a house in 24 hours.

It's part of an innovation in the home construction sector that's five years in the making, according to the company's website.

Warp News reports that Mighty Buildings is different from similar companies because the team can print the roof, ceiling, and other parts of the home with extreme speed.

"Because we're building homes for people to live in, we've been very deliberate in carrying out our vision to make housing better. This isn't software that can be debugged on the fly," Slava Solonitsyn, the CEO and co-founder of Mighty Buildings, told Dwell. "We're now ready to scale our production with full confidence in our certifications and code compliance of both our material and technology."

The printer, which is 20 feet tall, produces composite stone panels from recycled materials. The process automates much of the work — around 80% — in large part because the company can print a home's entire structural shell, reducing the amount of assembly needed later, Dwell reports.

The company cites several global problems that this method is meant to address, including high home prices, population growth outpacing construction projects, and supply chain shortages.

Sustainability is another major goal. The company claims its process and materials produce just 1% as much waste compared to homes constructed by conventional means. The printing process uses 60% recycled materials at this point, and the team hopes to create zero air pollution by the year 2028.

These advancements also cut costs, saving prices for homebuyers. Mighty Buildings claims that its printed homes cost 45% less than comparable houses in the California market.

Dwell reports that available models include 350-square-foot studios and a three-bedroom, two-bathroom home. The latter option is priced at around $285,000.

Mighty Buildings is currently taking orders. The company's website showcases a community in Southern California with 30 printed homes in the desert. The houses look futuristic in design, combining modern hardware with sustainable technology, including rooftop solar panels. Soon, the company hopes to take its concept nationwide.

"With a strong foundation in robotics, manufacturing, and sustainability, the Mighty Buildings founding team knows the different facets of the issues that face modern housing," Eric Migicovsky, a partner at the startup accelerator Y Combinator, told Dwell. "Accessory dwelling units are just the start in further building out their unique approach to building."

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