The new word in home construction could be “plastics”

The new word in home construction could be “plastics” MIT engineers are using recycled polymers to 3D-print construction-grade floor trusses. Single-use plastics are a persistent source of environmental pollution, and the need to house a growing global population puts increasing pressure on resources such as timber. MIT engineers have an idea that could make a dent in both problems at once. In a recent study, a team led by mechanical engineering professor David Hardt, SM ’74, PhD ’79, and lecturer and research scientist AJ Perez ’13, MEng ’14, PhD ’23, laid out a plan for using recycled plastic to 3D-print construction-grade beams, trusses, and other structures that could one day offer lighter, more sustainable alternatives to traditional wood-based framing. Although some companies are working on using large-scale additive manufacturing to create walls, they’re mainly using concrete or clay, whose production…