Introducing PassivDom: An Autonomous 3-D printed Composite Solar-Powered House

Ukrainian engineer Max Gerbut and his team has created an autonomous, 3-D printed, composite solar powered-house called PassivDom. Gerbut and the PassivDom team claim the 387 square foot house, made with an industrial 3-D printer, is the first totally autonomous house in the world, and can operate in a wide range of climates. All systems in the eco-friendly house can be operated with smartphone. The PassivDom house design allows for many units to be assembled together like Legos to build up a larger building. The idea behind PassivDom is to create a home that can be built without external structures, including foundation, plumbing, and water tanks. The creators also aimed to make it possible to live autonomously and sustainably with zero carbon emissions. The startup says its houses are pre-constructed in a factory, and claims they can be deployed so fast that owners can move in within a day of buying one. According to the PassivDom website, the house is mobile and can be transported to any place within a few hours. The house’s 3-D printed frame is made from a combination of carbon fiber, fiberglass and polyurethane. Gerbut claims that due to the use of advanced materials, the walls of the house won’t rust like iron or rot like wood. The composite frame also makes it nine times stronger than steel. Additionally, the creators says PassivDom will not become colder with time, as there are no materials that lose thermal conductivity. The makers of the house believe in composites enough to have PassivDom comes with a “materials warranty” that insures the thermal characteristics will be maintained for 40 years. They say the house itself has a minimum lifetime of 20 years.