Huntsman Building Solutions & Habitat for Humanity Join Forces to Build First 3D Homes in Canada

BOISBRIAND, QC – May 3, 2023 – Huntsman Building Solutions (HBS), Nidus3D, Great Northern Insulation (GNI), and Habitat for Humanity Windsor-Essex have recently completed the first 3D printed homes in Canada, with plans for more to come in the following year. This breakthrough project will provide affordable housing to those at risk of homelessness and elevate members of the community through The Bridge Youth Resource Centre. Four units have been built and certified, with designs focused on accessibility and net-zero emissions. The four-plex housing offers a kitchen and living space, a bathroom with mechanicals, and a bedroom that suits one to two individuals.

The project began in 2021, when Habitat for Humanity Windsor-Essex partnered with the University of Windsor, Great Northern Insulation (GNI), Huntsman Building Solutions (HBS) and Nidus3D, among others, to research and develop the first 3D printed homes for residential use in Canada.

“This was a new idea which required creativity, flexibility, and patience as we worked through the design and testing process to deliver a high-quality, energy efficient and net-neutral final product which could comfortably house those in need of assistance. 

Working with Great Northern Insulation, Huntsman Building Solutions, and University of Windsor allowed us to break new ground in the field of 3D printing and create something amazing,” said Fiona Coughlin, CFRE, Executive Director & CEO, Habitat for Humanity Windsor-Essex.

For this ground-breaking project, Huntsman Building Solutions closed-cell pour-in-place foam ‘PIP Foam 250’ was the best choice. It uniquely grants architects and engineers freedom to design and build more complex structures due to its ability to virtually fit any space. When incorporated into any building envelope, traditionally constructed or otherwise, it provides several benefits, with its greatest assets for this project being its versatility and multi-functional properties. An insulation product that can be more than just insulation, and provide an air and vapour barrier, as well as weather resistance, means less products are required for the construction process. This translates to lowered costs, construction times, as well as lowered environmental impact.

“What’s great about using our PIP Foam 250 in these homes is that no maintenance of the insulation will be required. The product will remain durable and airtight for the home’s lifetime. Habitat for Humanity Windsor-Essex and the University of Windsor worked incredibly hard to research and design materials which would stand the test of time, so we wanted to match that commitment with a product that maintains prime condition far into the future,” said Rob Serino, Territory Manager in Ontario from Huntsman Building Solutions.

This unique venture was funded by a generous commitment from Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation’s Innovation Fund, a fund intended to support ideas that improve access to affordable housing in Canada.

To learn more about Huntsman Building Solutions and the company’s complete suite of energy efficient building solutions, visit https://huntsmanbuildingsolutions.com/en-CA/. Join the company on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.

About Huntsman Building Solutions:

The Huntsman Building Solutions business is a global leader in high-performance, sustainable building envelope solutions. Its systems and solutions are widely utilized to optimize commercial and residential structures worldwide in both new construction and retrofit applications. Formed in 2020 with the acquisition of Icynene-Lapolla and its combination with Demilec, the Huntsman Building Solutions business capitalizes on legacy industry technologies, environmental stewardship, and the power of the Huntsman brand. For more information, visit huntsmanbuildingsolutions.com.

About Huntsman:

Huntsman Corporation is a publicly traded global manufacturer and marketer of differentiated and specialty chemicals with 2020 revenues of approximately $6 billion. Our chemical products number in the thousands and are sold worldwide to manufacturers serving a broad and diverse range of consumer and industrial end markets. We operate more than 70 manufacturing, R&D and operations facilities in approximately 30 countries and employ approximately 9,000 associates within our four distinct business divisions. For more information about Huntsman, please visit the company's website at www.huntsman.com.

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