Tech company builds 3D-printed homes that can withstand disasters

A tech company in Texas, United States has been building 3D-printed homes that can withstand natural disasters.

Through its Vulcan Construction System, ICON uses a special mixture called Lavacrete, which consists of Portland cement, fillers, and additives to help make it sturdier. The actual proportions depend on where the house is located and the weather in the area.

Lavacrete can withstand stress up to 3,500 pounds per square inch (psi). So far, the technology can build single-story homes but the system is being developed to build multi-story houses in the future.

"We believe the future of home building is 3D printing. We don't see this as a novel concept, we see this as the way that people will ultimately build houses," said Dmitri Julius, ICON's Director of Operations.

"This provides us an opportunity to kind of do the things at scale faster than they've ever been done before," he added.

According to ICON co-founder and Chief Technology Officer Alex Le Roux, 3D printing machines can help develop housing for many people.

ICON itself has partnered with non-profit Community First to provide affordable housing especially for the chronically homeless.

"We're talking about the most lost and forgotten men and women that you see standing on our street corners, living under our bridges, alleyways, urban camps, and other shelters—into a place that they can call home," said Community First Village founder Alan Graham.

—MGP, GMA News