World-first passive solar home with 3D printed concrete walls open to public

The first solar passive house in the world featuring 3D printed concrete walls is opened its metaphorical doors to the public for the first time.

The Huia house, built by Craft Homes and designed by architect Duncan Firth invited architects, builders and the wider public to visit their first ‘mid-build open home’ in Auckland to see the mastery behind the impressive structure recently.

The north-facing 3D printed concrete walls, built by Hamilton-based company QOROX are key to the environmentally passive solar design, with the cement substrate locally sourced in New Zealand’s North Island. Built to withstand a range of environmental factors, the walls exceed seismic standards, are fire and waterproof and transmit heat incredibly well due to its strong structure and textured finish.

QOROX director Wafaey Swelim says the Huia would be able to reap the benefits of 3D printed concrete in all seasons for the entirety of its lifetime.

“Concrete walls are excellent at maintaining a consistent temperature to keep a heat warm or cool as the weather changes so are perfect for a solar-heated home,” Swelim says.

The Huia concrete walls feature curves, ridges and textures, expertly printed and custom-designed to the customer’s unique tastes.

“The walls were printed in only 20 hours of printing using two staff and installed on-site over three trips – an impressively short timeframe when compared to traditional building methods.

“It truly is construction for the future,” Swelim says.

3D printed concrete by QOROX is BRANZ appraised as a replacement for masonry walls or concrete walls and was tested and designed over a two-year period to meet all New Zealand conditions. The walls also achieve the required acoustic performance for multi storey buildings and townhouses, making for a comfortable living environment.

The passive solar home is built to capture maximum sunlight, warmth and airflow throughout the day, without interrupting its impressive view.

Learn more about QOROX’s 3D printed concrete applications in commercial, civil, residential and landscape construction, visit www.qorox.co.nz.