Partners including Richmond Metropolitan Habitat for Humanity, Virginia Housing, and Virginia Tech are exploring new construction technologies to support the five affordable housing units at Carter Place I in Henrico County.
Richmond, Virginia, September 29, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Construction has begun on five Habitat for Humanity homes in East Henrico County, built using 3D printing technology as part of a unique affordable housing initiative. Habitat for Humanity of the Richmond Metropolitan Area held a groundbreaking ceremony for the Carter Place I project, a new community located at 1590 Darbyton Road near Richmond International Airport, which will feature five affordable single-family homes.
Virginia Housing provided a $1.1 million innovation demonstration grant, which enabled the Virginia Tech Center for Housing Research to purchase a mobile 3D concrete printer with a robotic arm to explore affordable construction techniques across Virginia. Habitat for Humanity of the Richmond Metropolitan Area is collaborating with the following organizations to use this 3D printer for housing construction:
- Professors and graduate students from the Myers-Lawson School of Architecture, the Center for Housing, and the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Virginia Tech
- Henrico County Affordable Housing Trust Fund, established by Henrico County to expand homeownership opportunities by reducing the cost of new housing and increasing accessibility for first-time homebuyers.
- HiveASMBLD, headquartered in Houston, is an automated 3D printing construction company that provides expert printing services.
- Tvasta, a 3D printing technology manufacturer from India, is also the maker of the SIRA RC mobile printer used in this project.
- Williamsburg Builder Consultants LLC, providing construction, structural, and zoning permit consulting services.
3D printing is first conducted offsite, then transferred to the site.
Throughout the fall, project partners will use this printer to print walls at a warehouse located at 3340 Lanvale Ave., Richmond, before moving on to the home construction phase.
Unlike traditional stationary 3D printing systems, this mobile technology enables project partners to evaluate different housing production methods. With off-site printing, workers can print wall components in a controlled environment and transport the concrete walls to the construction site for final assembly. This approach may offer higher production efficiency and better quality control while minimizing disruptions caused by weather. As planned for on-site printing later this year, Tvasta’s printer will be able to directly print concrete walls at the construction site.
The Carter Square I project will provide partners with real-world insights into these emerging construction methods, including their advantages, limitations, and costs. The research component will help partners document which approaches are effective, identify opportunities for improvement, and better understand how 3D printing technology can be applied and scaled in future affordable housing developments.
How to say partner
We are excited about the Carter Square I project and the potential role 3D-printed construction could play in the future of affordable housing. Richmond Habitat has consistently sought innovative ways to build safe, durable, and affordable homes, and this project is a natural extension of that commitment. Through our partnership with Virginia Housing and Virginia Tech, we have a remarkable opportunity to test new technologies while staying focused on our most important goal: creating opportunities for families to achieve stability and hope through homeownership. We are honored to be part of this pioneering effort and look forward to seeing its impact on the community.
——Matt Waring, Chief Operating Officer of Habitat for Humanity in the Richmond metropolitan area
Virginia Housing is driving and coordinating efforts to advance innovative construction technologies, including affordable 3D-printed housing that can be replicated and scaled across communities in Virginia. The Carter Place I project demonstrates how research, public and private investment, and strong collaboration can work together to address Virginia’s housing affordability challenges.
——Tammy Neale, CEO of Virginia Housing
3D printing enables us to build durable, resilient concrete walls faster and with less skilled labor—aligning perfectly with how affordable housing is typically constructed, often relying on nonprofit organizations and volunteers. We’re developing a playbook for Virginia on how to leverage this technology to create more affordable housing.
Dr. Andrew McCoy, Associate Director of Research and Innovation at the Myers-Lawson School of Construction, Virginia Tech, Director of the Virginia Housing Research Center, and Beliveau Professor in the Department of Construction Science and Management
We are working to translate laboratory results into real-world applications by developing innovative new materials and establishing a testing requirements framework for quality control and assurance. We aim to ensure that 3D-printed homes in Virginia are safe and reliable.
Dr. Alexander Brand, Associate Professor in the Charles E. Via, Jr. Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Virginia Tech, Primary Faculty Member in the Myers-Lawson School of Construction, and Adjunct Faculty Member in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering
Regarding the Carter Square I project in Henrico County
The Carter Place I project will provide partners with real-world insights into these emerging construction methods, including their advantages, limitations, and costs. The community is named after the late President Jimmy Carter in recognition of his decades of volunteer service with Habitat for Humanity, which helped bring international attention to the organization’s mission. Henrico County is helping bring this new Carter Place I development to life through a generous grant from its Affordable Housing Trust Fund.
Learn from Virginia’s previous 3D-printed housing project
This latest project builds on previous experience. In 2021, Virginia Housing awarded an innovative demonstration grant to support 3D-printed housing construction in the City of Richmond and James City County.
About Habitat for Humanity in the Richmond metropolitan area
Habitat for Humanity, founded in 1976, is a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing safe, affordable housing opportunities worldwide. As a global nonprofit housing organization, Habitat for Humanity operates in all 50 U.S. states and approximately 70 countries through local communities. Richmond Habitat for Humanity joined the affordable housing effort in 1986, serving the City of Richmond and Henrico and Chesterfield Counties. Since then, Richmond Habitat has built 400 homes for local families. Together with our homeowners, generous volunteers, and donors, we restore hope and dignity often stripped away by substandard housing. For more information, visit RichmondHabitat.org.
About Virginia Housing
Virginia Housing transforms the lives and futures of thousands of Virginians by investing in the power of home, strengthening communities and the economy. For over 50 years, Virginia Housing has partnered with public and private sectors to help Virginians access quality, affordable housing. Virginia Housing does not receive state taxpayer funds; instead, it raises capital through financial markets to provide mortgages for first-time homebuyers, finance rental development projects, and support community revitalization efforts. Virginia Housing invests in innovative affordable housing solutions and makes housing more accessible for Virginians with disabilities and older adults. For more information, visit VirginiaHousing.com and review the latest annual report.
About the Virginia Tech Center for Housing Research (VCHR)
VCHR's mission is to serve as an interdisciplinary research and information resource for housing in Virginia. To this end, VCHR provides housing-related research to local governments, state agencies, federal institutions, nonprofit organizations, and for-profit businesses. For more information, visit the official website.
About the Henrico Affordable Housing Trust Fund
Established in 2024, this affordable housing trust fund aims to expand affordable housing options for first-time homebuyers in Henrico County. Its goal is to increase access to affordable housing by reducing the purchase price of newly constructed homes. The fund uses tax revenues from a new data center to lower home prices, enabling buyers who might otherwise be priced out of the current market to afford homeownership.
About Tvasta
Tvasta is a deep-tech startup developing industrial 3D printing solutions. Our mission is to bring construction and manufacturing into a technology-driven new future. We believe that enhancing productivity, customization, and sustainability through next-generation automation and digitalization is key to rapid growth and will propel industries swiftly toward the next frontier. Tvasta.Construction
About HiveASMBLD
HiveASMBLD is a leading 3D-printed concrete construction and technology company headquartered in Houston, Texas, specializing in the construction of 3D-printed prefabricated homes. HiveASMBLD.com