Experts tell House panel 3D printing and construction tech can help but remain early-stage
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Summary
An academic and industry witnesses said technologies including 3D printing, digital twins and AI can improve speed, reduce errors and broaden workforce opportunities, but adoption is limited by permitting, materials research and workforce training.
Experts testified to the House Financial Services Subcommittee that construction technologies — from 3D concrete printing to digital twins and AI-driven quality control — offer pathways to increase housing supply and reduce costs, but they remain nascent and require public investment in research, workforce training and code changes.
Dr. Andrew P. McCoy, director of the Virginia Center for Housing Research and a professor at Virginia Tech, told the panel that 21st-century industrialized construction methods and smart materials can “build faster with greater precision and less waste” and emphasized that “construction technology is especially compelling right now because it does not replace human workers. It amplifies them.” He listed innovations such as digital twins, real-time construction monitoring and augmented-reality training as tools that can reduce delays and errors.
McCoy cited Virginia programs that award points for innovation in low-income housing tax credit applications and cited VHDA community innovation grants (up to $500,000) and local zoning adjustments in Danville that have facilitated modular and manufactured units. He also discussed a small 3D concrete printing program in Virginia that produced four workforce housing units and began work on another 10.
Panelists cautioned that 3D printing is still early-stage for whole-home construction; Eric Schafer said printers currently assist limited production stages but are “an emerging possibility.” Witnesses recommended targeted R&D, harmonized codes for new materials and investments in workforce upskilling so builders and inspectors can work with automated systems and novel materials.
No rules or funding were adopted at the hearing. Members requested follow-up written answers from witnesses and signaled interest in coordinating state and federal programs to derisk early deployments.