‘Curious Conversations’ podcast: Andrew McCoy talks about 3D printing homes

Andrew McCoy joined Virginia Tech’s “Curious Conversations” to talk about 3D printing concrete homes as a potential solution for current housing challenges. He shared the current landscape of housing in Virginia and how this emerging technology might be harnessed to reduce costs and improve efficiency. He broke down how this building process works, the challenges of attempting to shift to it, and how he and his colleagues are working to overcome those hurdles.

“Curious Conversations” is available on Spotify, Apple, and YouTube.

Takeaways

In recent years, Virginia has produced about 20,000 to 24,000 houses per year. McCoy said that between 70,000 and 100,000 per year are needed to meet projected needs by 2030. 

McCoy and his colleagues are exploring ways to fold this emerging 3D-printing technology into existing building systems, including module systems that allow housing parts to be built in off-site, controlled environments. 

Collaboration between robotics and human labor is essential to make 3D-printed housing more efficient.

About McCoy

McCoy, the Beliveau Professor in the Department of Building Construction, is associate director for research and innovation for the Myers-Lawson School of Construction and director of the Virginia Center for Housing Research at Virginia Tech. His research focuses on pioneering solutions using industrialized construction, 3D concrete printing, and smart housing technologies with a goal of building housing that’s smarter, faster, and fairer for all.

Learn more

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3D printed concrete homes: Engineering Explained

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About the podcast

"Curious Conversations" is a series of free-flowing conversations with Virginia Tech researchers that take place at the intersection of world-class research and everyday life. Produced and hosted by Travis Williams, assistant director of marketing and communications for the Office of Research and Innovation, university researchers share their expertise and motivations as well as the practical applications of their work in a format that more closely resembles chats at a cookout than classroom lectures. New episodes are shared each Tuesday.