MELBOURNE, Fla. and NEW ORLEANS, April 18, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Apis Cor, the company that prints buildings, and VPG Enterprise, a leading developer of affordable and workforce housing, today announced their partnership to 3D-print homes in the greater New Orleans area. As partners, Apis Cor and VPG are designing 3D-printable houses that can be reproduced quickly and at affordable prices. Construction is scheduled to begin in 2023.
“There's really no other way to attack the affordable housing shortage other than construction costs. There's not enough subsidy, there's not enough soft dollars and there's not enough cheap land in New Orleans to support the housing needs of our community,” said Michael Merideth, co-founder VPG Enterprises and VPG Construction. “In a market like New Orleans, no matter how much we value engineered, we could not make the acquisition and rehab numbers work.”
The cost of the finished home can be up to 30% less than traditionally built concrete block or wood framed houses.
“Apis Cor’s novel 3D-printing technology and advanced materials are the future of construction,” added Merideth. “A well-designed 3D printed home is resistant to environmental hazards that we deal with such as mold and is resilient to natural disasters we see happening on a more frequent basis.”
“In addition to the fact that 3D-printing makes building houses faster and cheaper, it also provides the flexibility to meet specific project criteria,” said Anna Cheniuntai, co-founder and CEO, Apis Cor. “VPG’s choice to introduce 3D-printing into the construction of their communities gives us the opportunity to innovate the end product and enrich people's lives, not just expedite wall printing.”
New Orleans will need to build 17,006 affordable units by 2029 to accommodate the city’s current population, according to the 2021 HousingNOLA annual report card.
3D printing technology can help to fill the growing gap for new houses worldwide and help people in need of affordable housing to actually purchase a home of their own.
Apis Cor Affordable Housing Cooperative Housing Program
Apis Cor launched the industry’s first Affordable Housing Cooperative Program (AHCP) to work with nonprofits and affordable housing companies to develop and build 3D printed homes. Apis Cor and its AHCP Partners design spec houses that fit the organization’s distinct requirements of price, sq.footage, floor plan, finishes and other factors. Once construction costs are validated and a long-term plan to replicate and scale the solutions is created, onsite 3D-printing will begin.
About VPG Enterprise / VPG Construction
VPG Construction is a division of VPG Enterprise, a real estate development, construction and management group with a portfolio that includes over $27million in residential real estate assets. VPG looks at creative development solutions around construction methods, deal structures and financing mechanisms to provide high quality housing in New Orleans. http://veriusgroup.com/
About Apis Cor
Founded in 2015 by Nikita and Anna Cheniuntai, Apis Cor is an American technology corporation headquartered in Melbourne, Florida that develops advanced technologies and materials for construction 3D-printing. The company holds the Guinness Book World Record for the Largest 3D-Printed Building on Earth and is proud to be a resident of the Autodesk Technology Centers Outsight Network. A successful participant in NASA's "3D Printed Habitat Challenge" – Apis Cor was awarded top honors in several categories. Apis Cor is backed by Alchemist Accelerator, the premier accelerator for Enterprise startups, and At One Ventures, a VC and private equity firm which supports deep tech ventures that are a net positive to nature and the planet. Learn more about 3D-printing construction technology at: www.Apis-Cor.com.
MEDIA CONTACT:
Heidi Groshelle
Groshelle Communications
Heidi@groshelle.com
A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/8b4a04a9-9bbb-49b0-9fae-896d2e8f17d0
