Could Robotic Construction Address Housing Shortages?
Published 11 January 2024
In the US, experts estimate that there’s a shortage of approximately 3.2 million homes – a significant shortfall that’s elevating prices for both prospective owners and renters. North Carolina-based start-up BotBuilt aims to address this gap, as well as the construction industry’s labour shortage, with its robotic manufacturing technology.
BotBuilt uses robotic arms, artificial intelligence (AI) and computer vision to make the construction process more efficient (without relying on prefab homes). Its system can take a unique design and determine how to produce the needed pieces for the home’s frame in a way that maximises the materials and minimises waste. Once all the framing pieces have been cut, they’re shipped directly to the construction site to be assembled. Since the pieces are shipped pre-cut, they require less time and skilled labour to assemble onsite, resulting in an overall lower home cost.
BotBuilt comes at an apt time. In 2023, the number of new homes under construction in the US fell, even as prices and demand held steady. A system that speeds up the process of building a home while also controlling cost and addressing labour shortages could significantly alleviate housing pressures, if it’s able to scale effectively.
Nevertheless, there also needs to be a focus on creative thinking about how and where people live to address pervasive housing shortages. As we address in Redefining Communities and The Future of Co-Living, communal housing and shared accommodation will be essential in democratising housing stock for people of all incomes and lifestyles. Looking to the future, BotBuilt could find a sweet spot in the construction of more luxury-leaning homes, given its emphasis on single-family stock and unique layouts.
For more on technology and housing, see Future Smart Home Tech.