3D-printed homes build hope for U.S. affordable housing

In an attempt to increase housing for the homeless in L.A. in a financially sustainable way, FlyAway Homes has started several projects to build homeless housing supported by private investment. Fifty six investors will get a return, though not a large one, on the 9-unit property that will house 32 homeless individuals. This model is more efficient than when a non-profit organization builds homeless housing, and more properties under FlyAway Homes will show if the model is in fact sustainable.

More and more commercial real estate projects are popping up around the United States that are focused on “deep green” building. This movement suggests that it’s not enough to just make a building out of renewable materials, but they can also be self-sustaining. For example, the Watershed, an office building in Seattle, has a slanted roof that collects rainwater that is then used in toilets. These types of projects can be more complicated and expensive to build, but developers can save money in the long run with the improvements.

Using mycelium from mushrooms offers a sustainable and biodegradable alternative to synthetic polymers. Mushrooms produce a natural structure that can be used in building and construction, in lieu of plastics or processed wood products that often contain urea-formaldehyde or other harmful bonding agents. Ecovative Design uses a mushroom-based material to create products ranging from packing to furniture.

Recycled shipping containers ae providing affordable housing options to families and veterans experiencing homelessness in Los Angeles. Wraparound services on site help tenants with everything they need to stay housed, such as how to pay rent, access healthcare and find transportation. Container housing has been used in several cities across the country due to the convenience and low construction costs.

A survivor of Haiti's earthquake sought out a new home on an unclaimed plot of land which is home to one of the country's largest cemeteries. Madame Roy built a neighborhood from the ground up with the help of architects and funding from people who wanted to be residents of the future city. Roads, homes, a cistern, a soccer field, and a school were all built without the help of the Haitian government. 200,000 residents who lost everything in the earthquake have found a chance to start over in the new city of Canaan.

Coaching in strategic partnership allows arts nonprofits to build their capacity. Based in Minneapolis, Artspace offers its capacity-building workshop program, Immersion, to nonprofits in several cities, in including Detroit and Memphis. The workshops connect local art organizations to specialists in real estate and financing, allowing them to build partnerships or find new space in which to operate.

Hands-on experience can improve learning outcomes. By using the Geometry in Construction curriculum, developed by Contextual Learning Concepts, schools across the US are not only teaching kids geometry, they are also helping them gain valuable vocational skills. Several of the schools have even paired the program with service work by partnering with Habitat for Humanity.

Modified shipping containers can offer a solution for housing shortages. In London, QED Properties and ISO Spaces partnered together to create The Hope Gardens, a temporary housing arrangement for Londoners facing homelessness. The units provide space for those awaiting permanent housing. The modular homes are easily constructed and help to keep people off of the streets.

PCL Construction is known in the construction industry for being innovative. Most recently, they have begun a push to integrate technology to modernize their company and the industry. By working with software engineers and app developers, the company has drastically improved efficiency. Not content to let the rest of the industry remain inefficient, PCL also decided to openly share its software.

While more permanent housing is built to meet demand in the Netherlands, the stopgap answer is to build “tiny homes.” Completely built in a factory, these tiny homes still provide all basic housing amenities. They will be laid out in clusters of four and in larger communities to overcome what some worry will be isolating for many people who have nowhere else to turn. As an interim solution, these tiny homes are perfect-but they aren’t built to last, so the goal is to get residents into more permanent housing.