First use of half million dollar purchase made in February; no mention of similar project on east side of County on Verde Campus in the future
The Yavapai Community College administration has decided to construct up to three houses to showcase the ability of its recently purchased 3D concrete printers. The project will go forward at the Chino Valley Agribusiness Center Property in Chino Valley. Although Third District Governing Board representative Paul Chevalier has raised questions about the use of the machines on the Verde Campus (there are two of them), so far, the College has not indicated it intends to use the machines in any program at that site.
The announcement of the decision to build up to three showcase houses came in the December 2020 Facilities Management Newsletter. (https://www.yc.edu/v6/facilities/docs/newsletters/2020-12-facilities-management-newsletter.pdf) The Community College is now preparing to provide electrical, data, and water services to the construction site at the Chino Valley Center to support the construction.
Recall that in February 2020 the Yavapai Community College District Governing Board authorized the expenditure of a half million dollars to purchase two futuristic 3d construction printers (a big one and a little one). The printers can be used to print out construction materials. Then, the materials can be used to construct a building with minimal labor. According to information supplied the College, the big machine may reduce construction costs from 40% to 70% on some structures.
At the time of the announcement, the decision was made to use the machine in an experimental program set to open at the Chino Valley Center in the fall 2020. At the time, the College said the machine would be used to build a small manufactured home owned by the College that is need of repair.
In the short video below, Dr. Diane Ryan explains how the 3d printer works.
