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TexasBuilders.org
23
Feature
T
he year 2015 has come and gone,
and while we may not yet have
flying cars, as predicted in the
Back to the Future
movies, or full-
service robotic maids, as imagined on
The
Jetsons
, we’ve come a long way, especially
when you consider the latest in home
technology. Innovations like 3D printing
and Building Information Modeling
(BIM) have revolutionized the process
of home design and construction. Smart
home systems provide whole new levels of
security and automation. Energy efficiency
and sustainability techniques continue to
progress and are the new norm. How we
live has always been defined by the times
we live in, and we are now undeniably in
the thick of the 21
st
century. Welcome
home…
VIRTUAL REALTY
You enter through the front door. To your
left, stairs. To your right, a living room
complete with couch and other furniture.
You pick up the couch with one hand, move
it to the opposite wall, and say, “Ah, the joys
of 3D modeling technology!”
Home builders and buyers can now take
a walk through a home before they even
break ground. 3D modeling technologies
are revolutionizing the way we look at the
design and building processes, providing
potential home buyers with a detailed look
at all aspects of their newhome and allowing
designers and builders the freedom to
make the changes necessary to maximize
efficiency. This is all made possible with 3D
printers and BIM technology.
With 3D printers, designers and architects
can quickly—and cheaply—produce a
small-scale model home to show builders
and buyers, giving them a chance to note
any changes they’d like made before the
actual construction begins. And by using
BIM software, designers and builders can
easily transfer ideas and changes to the
plans for a home. BIM software not only
tracks the three most common dimensions
in building (height, width, and depth), but
it adds in and measures time and cost as
well. As the plans for the home fall into new
hands throughout the construction process,
less data is lost and accuracy is maintained.
But it doesn’t stop there. Small-scale, 3D
models and plans of homes are wonderful
tools for home builders and buyers alike,
but the building and construction industry
is always moving forward. New modeling
technologies, mainly 3D printing, have the
potential to build entire houses, piece by
piece. Foundations and frames could be
made without error. Walls and doors could
be printed off-site and installed accordingly.
Large-scale 3D printing aims to reduce
inaccuracies and increase productivity, two
things all builders should strive for and all
homeowners can appreciate.
HOME SMART HOME
How many times have you left the house
and worried you forgot to shut the garage?
By Chad Andycha & Alex Kocina
HOMES
FUTURE
OF THE