Mighty Buildings Proposes a New “Housing Crisis Solution”

Mighty Buildings is a company of “entrepreneurs, inventors, and technologists” and most recently, it proposed a “housing crisis solution” for the United States.

Mighty Buildings’ housing crisis solution consists of a “versatile and efficient automated system that can 3D-print a 350-square-foot studio apartment in less than 24 hours.”  The small California-based startup company has been showcasing small (350 square foot) studio apartment models of its new “ADUs” (accessory dwelling units) aimed at backyards “starting at” $99,000 but pretty much selling for around $115,000. That is, if you do the work and deal with local governments to get all the permits, connect the utilities and install the unit. Have Mighty set it up for you, and you’re looking around $184,000 to be move-in ready. ADUs are a building, either attached or detached, that goes in the back or side yard of an existing residence. ADUs are usually considered a guest house or extra living space that can go into the Airbnb rental pool.

Mighty Buildings’ 3D-printers rely on a “thermoset composite called Light Stone Material (LSM) which is claimed to be “a more effective building material than concrete.” By using 3D printing and new technology, Mighty can dramatically speed up the construction process. Sam Ruben, the co-founder of the firm, says Mighty can have the home in place in just over two weeks. He credits a super-large (43×20 feet) 3D printer for being able to generate the materials for the frame, using a gel that hardens instantly when it gets hit with light. Robotic arms scan the objects and pour the gel.

Mighty calls itself a “modular prefab construction company” and says it is fully compliant with all aspects of the California Building Code, including Title 24 Energy and other standards. The company offers a standard 10-year warranty on all the structural systems. Ruben compares Mighty to the Sears kit homes from the early part of the last century, which came pre-assembled and were put together by the homeowner with hammer and nails – and help from a neighbor. The difference here is that the construction process can move so much faster. “It shouldn’t take months to build a home,” Ruben said. “We can do an entire shell in one day.”

It takes two weeks to complete a studio and three weeks for the one-bedroom model, which starts at $160,000. All units come with combo washer-dryers, a dishwasher and a tiny kitchen.  Mighty currently has only one printer in operation, but it is in the process of adding more. “The long-term vision is to have factories, minimize logistical costs and create a new class of jobs,” Ruben said. “Right now, we don’t have enough people to build all the homes (in traditional construction) … We hope to create a new generation of workers.” Ruben said the 3D printed wall responds just as normal drywall does in that you can put nails and screws into it, and his tests show it will stand up to rain and hurricanes.

Mighty has just gotten started, and is finishing the first of several homes in the San Francisco Bay Area and San Diego. But Ruben has big plans. He predicts some 100 homes will be created by the firm in 2021, followed by at least 1,000 the following year. Given the aggravation of the housing problem because of COVID-19, initiatives such as this are necessary to diversify the options for working class citizens in North America. This initiative as not one that fights homelessness directly but is trying to minimize it in the long-run.
—
Photo Credit:  Chesky / Shutterstock.com