Oak Ridge National Laboratory(ORNL), an agency operating under the US Department of Energy, has embarked on project with Clayton Homes and architectural firm Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM) a few years ago.
The Additive Manufacturing Integrated Energy (AMIE) project aims at creating innovative methods to build and operate energy-saving structures. At the International Builders’ Show in Las Vegas this January, SOM and ORNL unveiled the concept for a 3D printed polymer building and car that use clean energy in a symbiotic manner, linked by a closed-loop battery system.
The building is made of 3D printed panels, that not only act as an exterior cladding but also provide structural support, insulation and moisture protection. According to the design team, this can cut down waste and reduce the required amount of material.
“SOM and its partners optimised the structure’s form to reduce the amount of material used and to express three-dimensional printing’s ability to deploy complex, organic geometries.”
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