SOM and DOE unveil 3D-printed, off-the-grid building
By Mike Chamernik, Associate Editor
The Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory has unveiled a 3D-printed building at the DOE’s inaugural Industry Day event on Wednesday.
Designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM), the 38x12x13-foot Additive Manufacturing Integrated Energy (AMIE) building can be used for off-the-grid shelter.
A photovoltaics roof works with a natural gas generator to provide lighting and power for the building’s micro-kitchen.
The enclosure conserves energy due to its high levels of insulated solid surfaces (79%) to glazed areas (21%). The battery of the attached 3D-printed vehicle provides supplementary power for the building. Using bi-directional wireless energy gets the building off the power grid at peak demand times.
AMIE condenses the functions of a conventional wall system (structure, insulation, air and moisture barriers, and exterior cladding, for example) into an integrated shell. This could lead to zero-waste construction, and it makes the buildings easier to be recycled and reprinted for other purposes.
