In Buena Vista, Colorado, residents face moderate to high risks of wildfires due to critically dry conditions and drought, as well as a lack of affordable housing.
So, in the rural mountain town, Colorado is investing in a new solution: 3D-printed homes.
Two homes were just completed in Buena Vista by VeroTouch, a construction technology company that “believes housing is a fundamental human right, and that solutions to the housing crisis will come from private sector invention and investment.”
Each home spans about 1,100 square feet and is built using a concrete material made by 3D printing company COBOD.
In a statement about the new homes, COBOD said that these 3D- printed concrete walls “offer the highest level of fire resistance and do not fuel combustion at any stage.”
“This provides a critical safety advantage in Colorado, where nearly half of the population lives in regions at risk of wildfires,” the statement continued.
The two homes are called VeroVistas and each has a unique design, which demonstrates the original nature of 3D printing construction. One home features a layered concrete look found in most 3D-printed buildings. The other blends with a more traditional finish of stucco walls.
One of the homes’ exterior structures was completed in just 16 days, far faster than conventional construction methods. By automating this building approach, COBOD can develop more homes more quickly — and build them in a way that will keep inhabitants safe from accelerating wildfire risk.
VeroTouch has also made a point of keeping jobs in the region by introducing this new construction technology to Colorado. The company has received funding from the state’s Innovative Housing Incentive Program, which will financially support the construction of 7,500 homes over the next three years across the state.
Thanks to the success of the VeroVista project, the company will soon begin on an even larger project: A 32-home neighborhood in Salida, Colorado, a region also prone to wildfires.
In fact, surveys show that 100% of properties in Salida have some risk of being affected by wildfire over the next 30 years. This makes the VeroTouch technology that much more vital in meeting the demand for safe, 3D-printed homes.
“We are proud to accelerate innovation in housing to better address Colorado’s housing needs,” Colorado Governor Jared Polis said at the unveiling in Buena Vista.
“The unveiling of these 3D-printed homes is a great example of how we can support new building methods to create more housing now.”
“We commend VeroTouch for helping increase the supply of housing, which will allow more Coloradans to live in the communities they love,” Eve Liebmann, the executive director of the Colorado office of economic development and international trade, added.
While the 32-home neighborhood is already in the construction phase, Buena Vista is now home to two innovative houses for prospective buyers.
Coming in at a price of $625,000 each, the homes are not necessarily affordable but are a near-average price for homes in Colorado’s mountain communities, according to COBOD. But instead of traditional wood frame houses often built in these regions, the VeroVistas offer greater stability and protection in an uncertain climate.
“In an era of fast housing, VeroTouch is creating legacy homes that can be passed down, rather than torn down,” Grant Hamel, VeroTouch’s CEO, said.
“Beyond merely great design, we’re proud that VeroVistas homes offer a level of resilience to natural disasters like wildfires unmatched by any other product in this region. Because of that, we expect these homes to be standing strong 100 years from now.”
As future projects, like the one in Salida, take shape, stakeholders are curious to see how 3D construction can play a role in building faster, more sustainable, and more affordable homes.
“3D construction printing provides a safer, more efficient, and sustainable way to build,” Philip Lund-Nielsen, co-founder and head of Americas at COBOD International, said.
“Colorado investing in broader application of 3D construction printing shows that this scalable method can help address the housing crisis, not only in Colorado, but across the U.S.”
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Header image courtesy of VeroTouch/COBOD
