The university’s Advanced Structures and Composites Center is developing plans for a neighborhood in the Greater Bangor area which will be comprised of nine, 3D-printed single-family homes — created entirely from wood sawmill waste.
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The University of Maine’s Advanced Structures and Composites Center is developing plans for a neighborhood in Greater Bangor that will comprise nine, 3D-printed single-family homes.
The one-bedroom homes are being designed for individuals who lack housing. The project is a partnership with Penquis, the Bangor-based nonprofit which works to improve housing stability.
BioHome3D is the prototype
In 2022, UMaine unveiled a 600-square-foot prototype, BioHome3D, printed on what it says is the world’s largest polymer 3D printer (following up on the 2019 production of what was believed to be the world’s largest 3D-printed boat).
The housing prototype was created in four modules, then moved to the site on the Orono campus and assembled in half a day. Electricity was installed within two hours with only one electrician needed. The building has been rigorously tested and monitored over the past four years to ensure it can withstand Maine winters.
The prototype is fully recyclable and highly insulated with 100% wood insulation and customizable R-values. Construction waste was nearly eliminated due to the precision of the printing process.
Local wood fiber and bio-resin materials were developed in partnership with Oak Ridge National Laboratory, a federal research lab in Tennessee, and designed with input from the Maine State Housing Authority.
New GEM building will expand manufacturing options
The university expects to scale its advanced manufacturing research in housing construction with the opening of the Green Engineering and Materials facility, under construction now. When completed this fall, GEM will serve as a hub for AI-enabled large-scale digital hybrid manufacturing, with bays dedicated to scaling up the production of affordable housing, as well as boatbuilding and bridge construction.
A statement from the university said the technology can address labor shortages and supply chain issues that are driving costs and constricting the supply of affordable housing. Less time is required on-site for building and fitting up the home, and printing using abundant, renewable, locally sourced wood fiber reduces dependence on a constrained supply chain, while supporting the revitalization of local forest product industries.
The Penquis project is fully funded
While a site for the new neighborhood has not yet been selected, a Penquis spokesperson told Mainebiz that significant planning work has already been completed, including the selection of an architectural and engineering partner.
“Housing remains a significant challenge in communities across Maine, and this project offers an opportunity to explore an innovative approach to creating additional housing,” Lawrence Rogers, housing development director at Penquis, told Mainebiz.
Rogers said the nearly $4 million project is fully funded, from a combination of sources, which include congressionally directed spending, MaineHousing, the KeyBank Foundation and NeighborWorks America.
Bangor-based Penquis Cap Inc. had revenue of $73.4 million, according to the latest publicly available tax filings, according to the 2025 Mainebiz Giving Guide.
