Azure uses 3D printers that print modular shells from recycled plastic. Using 100,000 ordinary bottles, a startup can build a studio house for $40,000. The price of similar housing in the USA reaches 150 thousand dollars.

Azure Printed Homes’ approach is similar to the work of Icon, another American startup that also does 3D printing of residential buildings. However, unlike its competitor, Azure places a significant emphasis on ecology. Therefore, the developer relies on plastic waste instead of concrete and expensive materials. Therefore, according to the company, Azure does two useful things – it promotes the development of the affordable housing market and at the same time takes care of the environment by recycling garbage.

home in three days

It takes three days to build an Azure house. On the first day, the company launches the robotic printer in its factory. The printer prints a modular shell from recycled plastic, a single unit containing a floor, a roof, and two walls. In this process, the 3D printer creates the structure of the future house – depending on the customer’s requirements, the house can be square or long, as well as slightly larger or smaller within the size fork.

Home printing / Photo Azure

The next day, Azure employees set up electrical wiring, water and sewer communications in the same factory and complete the preparatory work. Other parts of the house such as windows and doors are done at the same time. All parts of the house are then loaded at the installation site and delivered to the customer. Within a few hours, the workers build the house on the foundation and connect it to the electrical grids. By evening, the customer receives the keys and can bring the furniture.

Finished home / Photo Azure

According to Ross Maguire, co-founder of Azure Printed Homes, the startup deliberately stayed away from building houses on site. In a factory, both 3D printing and assembly work faster and also lower labor costs, allowing you to cut costs for homes. Also, working in a single factory has simplified the preparation of building materials – Azure now has several contracts with companies that regularly supply the organization with plastic bottles and other useful components.

The most affordable Azure home, available as a studio apartment with a small kitchen and bathroom, is now worth $39.9k. As with other country houses, this amount does not include foundation, delivery, connection to engineering networks and other expenses. With them, the final cost of the house increases by 25-30%, but, as the creators of the initiative assure, it is still much cheaper than traditional housing.

Azure is currently working on its first commercial project – the startup teamed up with a local developer to print a small homegroup in one of the suburbs of Los Angeles.