In recent years, the construction world has started looking closely at 3D printing. Builders want ways to save time, cut waste, reduce costs, and be more flexible with design. But many of the usual methods in construction are slow to change. Azure Printed Homes, based in Los Angeles, is one of the companies trying something different.
Azure is using recycled plastic and fiberglass to print homes. That means they take plastic that’s already been used (like bottles or packaging), mix it with other materials, and run it through a large 3D printer to build walls or modules.
These homes are designed to tackle several challenges at once. Azure’s approach is designed to address multiple problems simultaneously. By keeping costs lower than traditional buildings, the homes can ease some of the pressure on housing affordability. At the same time, the company gives discarded plastics a second life, turning what would be landfill waste into walls and roofs. And speed is another advantage; the printing process cuts down building time in a way that traditional methods can’t match. Instead of waiting months for a conventional build, the company says its homes can be ready in a fraction of the time, showing that speed and sustainability can go hand in hand.
How Fast, and How Big?
Azure’s robotic arm can print modules that measure about 20 feet long, 9 feet wide, and more than 10 feet tall. Once printed, the homes can be ready in just a few weeks, from order to delivery, compared to the months usually needed for traditional construction. In one of Azure’s tiny home models, which measures around 120 square feet, the shell alone is made using plastic from about 100,000 recycled bottles. This is one sure sign that the company turns waste into something useful.
But Azure isn’t just trying to be green; it’s also trying to be useful. The company’s printed homes are already being used in many ways: as backyard studios and accessory dwelling units (ADUs), which add extra living space to a property; as emergency or transitional housing, such as after the wildfires in Los Angeles; and even as glamping retreats or small vacation units.
Azure Printed Homes can be created and installed within four weeks, from order to construction and installation. Image courtesy of Azure Printed Homes.
Azure has also been getting attention beyond the construction world. In 2025, the company won the SXSW Innovation Award for Urban Experience, praised for its use of recycled polymers in homebuilding.
To keep up with demand, Azure is now expanding, with a new factory planned in Colorado and more growth on the horizon. The company is also focused on keeping prices low. Some of its smaller homes and ADUs start at about $35,000, making them an option for more people who want housing that is both quicker to build and better for the environment.
Azure’s homes. Image courtesy of Azure Printed Homes.
But even with all this progress, Azure still has to jump some hurdles. Rules and permits for accessory dwelling units or emergency housing can vary from state to state, which makes approvals harder, especially for ADUs or emergency units.
For example, in Colorado, a new law (the House Bill 24-1152) now requires many cities to allow ADUs on single-family homes, and it removes extra parking requirements, things that used to block or delay permitting. And California has several statewide ADU laws that make it easier for homeowners to build ADUs without needing owner-occupancy, to streamline permit processes, and to remove local rules that add delays, like heavy lot size or parking mandates.
Other states, such as North Dakota or Alaska, have local zoning laws or building codes that can make ADUs nearly impossible due to “strict lot-size rules,” permit delays, or other barriers.
The materials also need to pass strict safety tests, including fire resistance and structural strength, before they can be widely used. And then there’s the challenge of scaling up, building enough homes and factories while keeping a steady supply of recycled plastic to meet demand.
Why This Feels Like a Turning Point
What makes Azure’s work stand out is not just the ability to print a single house, but the way it points to a new model for construction. Homes can move from design to finish much faster than with traditional methods. Materials that would otherwise be waste, like plastic bottles, are turned into something people urgently need: safe and durable housing. And these homes are not only for buyers looking to add a backyard unit, but also for people in crisis, such as families who have lost their homes to wildfires.
If Azure keeps growing, it can play a part in moving construction toward being more sustainable, more affordable, and better at handling challenges like natural disasters and housing shortages. The company already has plans for that future as it is looking at expanding its factories and boosting production. Its leaders say the focus now is on working closely with partners, improving materials, and scaling up operations so that eco-friendly homes are no longer a niche option, but something that more families can access without giving up quality or stretching their budgets.