I spent the first eight months of 2013 living in Mexico. We had a pretty nice house, but we spent a lot of time in the houses of friends and family where the roofing material was corrugated metal. This was not by choice, but rather because it was the material that was available. While it did keep much of the rain off of our heads, it wasn’t so effective at keeping the water from running down the walls or dripping in between the sheets. It also made even the lightest shower have the decibel level of a New Orleans marching band. To add insult to injury, on a hot day, it would have been easier to make tortillas on the floor than it was over the feeble gas flame on my sister-in-law’s cooktop.
These modular units are produced by 3D printing recycled plastic that has been converted into printer filament. This means that the materials to make the units are continually available and lower in cost. The very fact that they are modular also helps to increase efficiency as smaller areas can be replaced or repaired as needed and it is simple to adapt the roof to individual circumstances. Wendy Fok, the project leader, described one of the benefits specific to this plug-and-play method of approaching roof construction:
“If you’re still using corrugated metal as your roof system, there’s a way to transition out, or start patching your roof with the new system. It can be integrated with the existing structure.”
“The key is to work with communities to introduce new job options, and give them the empowerment of new technology. This is at the core of the mission. It’s not just introducing a new product.”
Who knows, maybe my sister-in-law’s house could be a test site and we could have a conversation even when it’s raining.
Let us know your thoughts on this new potential for developing world roofing in the RMS 3D Printed Roofing forum thread over at 3DPB.com.