ICON is a building technology company dedicated to revolutionizing the building industry. Through proprietary 3D printing technologies and state-of-the-art materials, it provides sustainable solutions to some of the most pressing issues in our world.
The purpose of housing construction (small, to be clear) through 3D printing technology is aimed at reducing for example the global homeless pandemic, people who can not afford a roof under which to sleep because below the threshold of poverty or of those affected by natural disasters (and who forgets earthquakes in Italy?).
The first house was built in Texas, at a cost of 10,000 dollars (for the part related to printed material) in less than 48 hours.
This building has an area of 32 square meters and is habitable.
Icon, among other things, has ignited a virtuous partnership with New Story, a non-profit organization. This partnership aims to achieve the goal of providing homes to a community in El Salvador within the next 18 months. The budget required for each house is equal to $ 4000 and the time to make one is equal to 24 hours for homes of about 70 square meters.
The history of Icon begins with Alex Le Roux, co founder and CEO; Jason Ballard, co founder and president of TreeHouse and Evan Loomis, co founder of both ICON and Saturn Five.
Each of the three founders started working independently about two years ago. Jason has spent the last decade of his life beginning and growing up in a company called TreeHouse, whose entire mission revolves around sustainability and health in the built environment.
After working literally on thousands of houses, Jason began to say to himself: “There is certainly a better way to build cheaper, less expensive and more energy-efficient houses than conventional construction methods”.
The approaches to construction had not changed for so long that it was as if people had forgotten how to imagine a different way. This initiated a study and research project of months (including prefabricated panels, insulated concrete modules, SIP panels, advanced structures, robotic walls, architectural fungi, etc.). Which brought Jason to 3D printing as the most promising to create a true revolution that controlled all the boxes it held.
She reconnected with her co-founder and friend of TreeHouse, Evan Loomis, and the two decided to start working on it and build a prototype in a warehouse in Austin over the weekends. Meanwhile, a new graduate and engineer named Alex LeRoux was working on a similar project in Houston. His prototype was actually able to print a small mortar house. Finally, after listening to each other’s voices for months, Alex and Jason met in Treehouse and decided to start working together.
Today ICON is a for-profit construction technology company that uses robotics, software and advanced materials to reinvent the homebuilding industry. The 3D printer nicknamed “Vulcan I” is the first product / project and has been developed in collaboration with New Story, the non-profit that brings homes to disadvantaged populations. By 2019 Vulcan II will be released, even more performing.
