It's been a busy week for #3DST, working through catalyzer acceptance forms that will allow us to access higher levels of funding, development progress with our new extruder technology, and registration as an exhibitor in the #SmartMTX Innovation Expo this May in Red Deer. And then this - the announcement today (link below) that there will be 50 million allocated towards regional initiatives to accelerate home building innovations like 3D printed construction.
This allocation is part of several that make up the 600 million earmarked for an entire series of innovation programs aimed at scaling up modular, prefab, and innovative rapid construction - all led by an innovation cluster known as Next generation Manufacturing Canada, or #NGen. That's pretty exciting.
3DSpaceTerraform is in the middle of a small funding grant from NGen (through NRC-IRAP), allowing us to work with the Center for Innovation in Manufacturing at Red Deer Polytechnic these last several months to develop new extruder technology for 3D construction printing with clay and fiber-based materials.
And it may seem like clay (earth) and fiber based 3D construction printing may not be very helpful with high density housing, or housing starts, or even retro-fitting. It helps to think of our approach from more of a materials and application angle, one that allows us to consider how to print structural and insulation elements that are locally sourced, non-toxic, can integrate regional agricultural fibers like hemp, and are appropriate for use in Canadian climates.
It may be worth a reminder that the use of stabilized earth and engineered earth-fiber blends in building is nothing new. The new element is utilizing parametric design and robots to build with these materials and expand the range of "hand-built" that limited them before.
What we know for sure is that there is a new world of design application and engineering opening in front of us, one that accommodates vapour-open building elements, high insulation values, robust protection from fire and flood, indoor air quality, energy efficiency, and the best of our construction industry's innovations in air handling and materials.
This is exactly the time to dream of a new way forward.
Our goal at #3DST is to start with modest, affordable, resilient Canadian homes made using regionally appropriate materials, like earth and hemp. And (we will always say this) also printing "the full set" that includes the home, a greenhouse, shed, garages, animal shelters, garden beds, and even pizza ovens. We're almost there, and this new initiative may be the thing that gives us the final boost to fully lift off.
It's not just time to dream, it's time to act. And there is no reason at all why Alberta, and Canada, can't lead the way. See you out there!
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Funding News Link: https://lnkd.in/geaaTjet
#3dspaceterraform #alternativematerials #stabilizedearth #hemp #envelopedesign #regionallyappropriate #biogenic #carbondrawdown #hempcrete
