Montana Has Given Regulatory Approval for Homes With 3D Printed Walls, the First State To Do So

Building code regulators from the Department of Labor & Industry recently confirmed that they have given broad regulatory approval for the use of 3D printing in construction, making Montana the first American state in history to recognize 3D printed walls as an equal replacement to walls made with concrete masonry units (CMUs). The original request was made by Tim Stark, a contractor based in Billings, Montana, who intends to use 3D printing construction technologies developed by Florida-based company Apis Cor. This new recognition of AM technologies is an important new step for its further establishment into the American construction sector.

The idea that using concrete 3D printing can be used to build houses is most likely something with which you are already familiar. And while a variety of projects that involve 3D printing revolve around making houses that have already been successfully completed, there is still quite a long way to go until 3D printing is well enough established to be seen as a serious alternative to traditional house-building methods. However, with the recently announced developments in the State of Montana, the prospect of that idea becoming reality anytime soon seems to be much closer than expected.

A concrete 3D printer for 3D printed walls by Apis Cor (photo credits: Apis Cor)

The initial idea to hand in the application to the department in Montana came from Billings native Tim Stark, when he started considering using 3D printing technologies, which he chose for their many benefits, for a new housing development project he had planned for the city of Billings and other areas in the state. He hopes that by opting for AM, he will be able to lower production costs by up to 30% of what traditionally built concrete blocks or wood-framed houses would cost. Aside from the reduction of building costs, the 3D printing method also enables builders to increase the speed of production and boost supply at a faster rate.