Mighty Buildings, a provider of 3D printing construction technology, will use Honeywell Solstice Liquid Blowing Agent (LBA) as a key component in the material it uses to build 3D printed homes. Honeywell’s low global warming potential (GWP) technology will replace traditional foam insulation – helping Mighty Buildings reduce emissions and produce strong, energy-efficient building panels. Honeywell offers solutions for aerospace, building automation, high-performance materials and technologies, and safety and productivity. With this collaboration, Honeywell is aligning its portfolio with three powerful megatrends, including the energy transition.
A recent report by the United Nations Environmental Programme found that the construction industry is responsible for 37% of global greenhouse gas emissions. Solstice LBA has the potential to reduce the industry’s environmental impact as its GWP is 99.9% lower than other blowing agents commonly used in construction. Solstice LBA allows 3D printed homes to be built with almost no waste and in less time than traditional construction methods.
“Combined with our patented 3D printing technology, Solstice LBA enables us to build comfortable and climate-resilient homes,” said Scott Gebicke, CEO of Mighty Buildings. “The construction industry needs fast, safe and reliable alternatives to traditional building materials. By integrating Solstice into our production process, we can further improve the performance and sustainability of our 3D printed products while reducing the overall carbon footprint of the construction industry.”
The 3D printed panels developed with Solstice LBA are manufactured at Mighty Buildings’ manufacturing facility in Monterrey, Mexico. The facility currently has the capacity to print enough panels for two homes per day, and Mighty Building’s total build time for a 3D printed home is often less than a week. Once completed, these homes require less energy to heat and cool than those built with other commonly used propellants because Solstice LBA provides better thermal insulation.
“Honeywell offers a range of solutions to help customers achieve their emissions reduction and energy efficiency goals,” said Jeff Dormo, president of Honeywell Sustainability and Decarbonization. “Our Solstice technology is constantly being used in new ways. By offering a non-ozone-depleting, non-flammable and high-performance foam blowing agent, our collaboration with Mighty Buildings has the potential to transform the future of housing and the entire construction industry.”
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has included Honeywell Solstice LBA in its Significant New Alternatives Policy (SNAP) program, an initiative to promote the development and adoption of alternatives to ozone-depleting materials.
Honeywell has invested more than a billion dollars in research, development and the creation of new capacity for its Solstice technology, which is currently used in refrigerants, propellants, aerosols and solvents and is also currently being evaluated for expanded use in metered dose inhalers. Since its introduction in 2011, the use of Honeywell Solstice technology has reportedly helped avoid the release of more than 395 million tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, or the carbon dioxide emissions of nearly 94 million gasoline-powered passenger vehicles each year.
