From waste to 3D printed home

From waste to 3D printed home SOLUM and WOHN have joined forces to establish an integrated and circular raw material and sourcing flow that extends from waste to finished printed house. This collaboration is based on Solum’s waste streams and WOHN’s advanced printing technology to create a sustainable value chain.

Purpose of the collaboration

The collaboration’s overall goal is to revolutionize housing construction by creating a circular economy where waste wood and waste plastics are transformed into printable materials for the construction of sustainable homes. This is essential to reduce CO2 emissions in the construction industry and promote a more sustainable future for home construction.

From waste to 3D printed home – a circular process across value chains

This collaboration focuses on establishing an integrated value chain that utilizes Solum’s waste resources, primarily wood and plastic, and combines them into WOHN’s advanced 3D printing technology to construct housing modules. This process begins with upcycling waste wood and plastic into a printable compound, after which WOHN 3D prints sustainable housing modules.

A crucial part of the value chain is implementing a circular principle. At the end of their lives, homes are taken back, broken down into a new compound, and then recycled in a new circular loop to build new homes. This process can be repeated up to 6-7 times, giving the waste and homes a lifetime as a resource for up to 350-400 years.

The collaboration adds value on multiple levels. For the companies involved, it means the opportunity to utilize waste resources more efficiently and create sustainable products. It means lower CO2 emissions and more sustainable homes for the construction industry and end customers—society benefits from reducing environmental impact and promoting the circular economy.

The ambition to export the technology to establish similar upcycling and circular supply chains abroad will further promote sustainable development globally and strengthen Denmark’s position as a circular economy and sustainable construction leader.