Last week, we considered five emerging technologies that hold the promise of bringing down the cost of housing. You can review that blog post here.
Now, consider five more advances that may change the way we live and save money besides:
- Shipping Container Homes
- What it is: Repurposing used shipping containers into homes is an affordable alternative to traditional building materials.
- Benefits: Shipping containers are strong, durable, and relatively inexpensive, and they can be modified into livable spaces with minimal investment. They can also be stacked and reconfigured to create multi-story homes or apartment buildings.
- Example: Companies like MODS International and Cargo Home have built entire homes and apartment complexes using shipping containers.
- Challenges: Who wants to live in a shipping container? There are design limits that may make this idea harder to sell.
- Bamboo as a Building Material
- What it is: Bamboo is a fast-growing, renewable resource that can be used for structural framing, flooring, and other building components.
- Benefits: Bamboo is incredibly strong for its weight and is an environmentally friendly material. It’s also relatively cheap and grows quickly, making it a sustainable option for building homes. It’s particularly popular in regions where it’s abundant and can be used to construct both affordable and high-end homes.
- Example: Bamboo has been used in several projects in Southeast Asia and Latin America, where it is both plentiful and culturally significant.
- Challenges: Proper treatment and maintenance is required or deterioration will result. Bamboo is also susceptible to termite and other pest attacks.
- Self-assembling or Robotic Construction
- What it is: Robotic construction involves the use of autonomous machines and robots that can assemble parts of a building or even entire homes. These robots can work 24/7, speeding up construction and reducing labor costs.
- Benefits: Automation can reduce human error, speed up construction times, and lower labor costs. Robots can also work in harsh environments or dangerous conditions, making construction safer and more efficient.
- Example: Projects using robotic bricklaying robots, like those developed by companies like Fastbrick Robotics, are starting to emerge in certain markets.
- Challenges: Collaboration between human and robotic workers is key or else efficiencies are lost and workplace injuries are exacerbated.
- Green Roofs and Walls
- What it is: Green roofs and walls are covered with vegetation, providing insulation, improving air quality, and reducing heat island effects in cities.
- Benefits: They can lower energy costs by improving insulation, reduce stormwater runoff, and increase biodiversity. Green roofs and walls can also extend the lifespan of roofing materials and create aesthetic, functional outdoor spaces.
- Example: Cities like Toronto and Portland have started integrating green roofs into their building codes, and developers are increasingly adopting them to lower energy costs.
- Challenges: More expensive than traditional roofs and heavier, meaning that other construction costs will also be higher to support the load. Last, more expensive to maintain as well.
- Building with Waste Materials (Recycled Materials)
- What it is: Using recycled materials, such as repurposed concrete, glass, plastic, or even industrial byproducts, in construction.
- Benefits: This reduces the cost of raw materials, promotes sustainability, and diverts waste from landfills. It’s particularly beneficial in the context of circular economy initiatives.
- Example: Projects like the “EcoPark” in London use recycled and upcycled materials for building, including recycled concrete and repurposed plastics.
- Challenges: Recycled materials may contain hazardous substances and may cause pollution and may be more expensive.
Between this post and last week, we’ve considered 10 emerging technologies that may reduce the cost of building new homes. Which technology is the winner? It’s impossible to know yet and I wonder if a combination of some of these technologies may be the answer. For example, could modular / prefabricated housing further benefit from robotic construction in the factory? I look forward to a future that hold the promise of more affordable housing.