Lennar, largest home construction company in the United States, and ICON, a construction 3D printing Solutions company, announced a partnership to build the largest community of 3D printed homes to date, utilizing ICON’s innovative robotics, software, and advanced materials. The 100-home community, which will break ground in 2022, will be codesigned by the renowned architecture firm BIG-Bjarke Ingels Group.
The announcement expands on a relationship that began with Lennar’s investment in Austin-based ICON’s recent $207 million financing round, and it offers a promising path toward delivering affordable, technology-driven homes that meet rising demand.
“Labor and material shortages are two of the biggest factors pushing the dream of home ownership out of reach for many American families. Lennar has always expanded the boundaries of technological innovation to keep quality homes affordable and 3D printing is an immensely encouraging approach. We are excited to collaborate with ICON to develop solutions to emerging challenges in the coming years.”
ICON will build a large 100-home 3D printed community in Austin, Texas, in the United States. ICON’s construction 3D printing technology produces more resilient, energy-efficient homes faster than traditional construction methods, with less waste and more design freedom – allowing construction projects to stay on schedule and within budget. ICON’s Vulcan construction 3D printing system was designed and engineered from the ground up for volume 3D printing of homes with precision and speed. It can deliver homes and structures up to 3,000 square feet that are built to the International Building Code (IBC) structural code standard and are expected to last as long or longer than standard Concrete Masonry Unit (CMU) built homes.
ICON’s proprietary wall system and advanced materials are stronger and last longer than traditional building materials, resulting in safer, more resilient homes that can withstand extreme weather, reduce the impact of natural disasters, and be printed at high speeds and scale.
“ICON exists as a response to the global housing crisis and to put our technology in service to the world. Construction-scale 3D printing not only delivers higher-quality homes faster and more affordably, but fleets of printers can change the way that entire communities are built for the better. The United States faces a deficit of approximately 5 million new homes, so there is a profound need to swiftly increase supply without compromising quality, beauty, or sustainability and that is exactly the strength of our technology. It is an honour and a huge milestone for ICON to partner with Lennar, an elite top-tier homebuilder with a commitment to innovation. We believe this will be a watershed moment in the history of community-scale development and the future breaking into the present.”
“Additive manufacturing has the potential to revolutionize the built environment as it gets adopted by the industry at scale. By partnering with ICON and Lennar, we are able to see this new technology roll out to the widest possible audience. The 3D printed architecture and the photovoltaic roofs are innovations that are significant steps towards reducing waste in the construction process, as well as towards making our homes more resilient, sustainable, and energy self-sufficient.”
Lennar’s investment in ICON’s Series B financing round in August was facilitated by LENX, which drives a focused strategy within Lennar to integrate technology solutions across the homebuilding industry. With a clearly defined strategy of investing in technology companies directly adjacent to Lennar’s core homebuilding operations and a disciplined investment process, LENX provides hands-on mentorship and guidance from senior leaders of Lennar’s management team and a marquee opportunity to provide products and technology to Lennar customers, allowing portfolio companies to scale at an unprecedented pace.
(Note: All images used in this article are concept renders provided by ICON)
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