3 Examples of How 3D Printing Can Help Rebuild the Nation’s Housing Supply

Sustainability and Green Building
Published

Housing affordability remains a struggle amid rising housing costs, and shortages of housing supply and skilled labor. Inventory was already limited prior to the COVID-19 pandemic and has remained tight as the nation rebuilds.

3D printing is gaining traction in the marketplace as one potential solution. The controlled environment and amount of materials utilized help save costs and time on building projects, and drastically reduces onsite materials waste. Today’s 3D-printed designs are showcasing the innovation that this technology can afford builders and designers in creating homes to match consumer interests.

Here are a few examples:

  • 3D printing company ICON has made headlines in recent years with its neighborhood projects in Mexico and in Texas. And it is making a splash again at SXSW with the unveiling of House Zero — a modern ranch constructed using both 3D printing and traditional building methods. The energy-efficient home combines curved concrete wall structures constructed through ICON’s printing technology with warm wood tones to create a natural, biophilic design.
  • Low- and middle-income families have been among the hardest hit by rising housing costs, with 87.5 million households (or roughly 69% of all U.S. households) unable to afford a median priced new home in 2022. To help combat this issue, Habitat for Humanity launched an initiative last year to begin using 3D printing to construct more homes for families in need. Its first successful project — a 1,200-square-foot, three-bedroom, two-bath home in Williamsburg, Va. — was completed at the end of last year, with the family able to move in just ahead of the winter holidays.
  • 3D-printed homes overall tend to trend smaller than traditional stick-built homes and generally feature concrete. Backyard studio and accessory dwelling unit options from Los Angeles-based Azure, however, are utilizing recycled plastic instead to help cut down on the amount of waste in landfills. More than 60% of the materials in its projects are plastics typically found in water bottles and food packaging.

As more companies continue to explore this arena, expect to see more innovative designs and materials emerge — especially in the wake of recent supply-chain issues and rising material costs.

To stay current on the high-performance residential building sector, with tips on water efficiency, energy efficiency, indoor air quality, and other building science strategies, follow NAHB’s Sustainability and Green Building team on Twitter.

Subscribe to NAHBNow

Log in or create account to subscribe to notifications of new posts.

Log in to subscribe

Latest from NAHBNow

Workforce Development | Student Chapters

Oct 13, 2025

From Computers to Construction: How NAHB Inspired a Career Change

Drew Williams had strong success in computer technology, even earning a patent for a motion detection and sound recognition dash camera, but felt his original passion start to slip. That's when he made a career change that brought back old memories.

Advocacy

Oct 10, 2025

Senate Passes Major Housing Package

The Senate passed NAHB-supported housing legislation that offers meaningful solutions to increase the nation’s housing supply by addressing key concerns around zoning and land-use policies, the aging housing stock, rural housing, and multifamily housing.

View all

Latest Economic News

Economics

Oct 10, 2025

Vinyl Surpasses Stucco as Most Used Principal Exterior Wall Material

In 2024, vinyl siding was the most used principal exterior wall material for homes started. It holds just over a quarter share of homes, slightly surpassing stucco for the first time since 2018.

Economics

Oct 09, 2025

Remodeling Market Sentiment Improves in Third Quarter

In the third quarter of 2025, the NAHB/Westlake Royal Remodeling Market Index (RMI) posted a reading of 60, up one point compared to the previous quarter. With the reading of 60, the RMI remains solidly in positive territory above 50, but lower than it had been at any time from 2021 through 2024.

Economics

Oct 08, 2025

Refinancing Activity Surges in September

Refinancing activity surged in September, marking the largest monthly increase since the COVID-era of ultra-low interest rates. This increase followed mortgage rates dropping below 6.5% for the first time since October 2024 in anticipation of rate cuts that ultimately materialized. ­­