Additive Manufacturing Integrated Energy—Enabling Innovative Solutions for Buildings of the Future

The additive manufacturing integrated energy (AMIE) demonstration utilized three-dimensional (3D) printing as an enabling technology in the pursuit of construction methods that use less material, create less waste, and require less energy to build and operate. Developed by Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) in collaboration with the Governor's Chair for Energy and Urbanism, a research partnership of the University of Tennessee (UT) and ORNL led by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP (SOM), AMIE embodies a suite of innovations demonstrating a transformative future for designing, constructing, and operating buildings. Subsequent, independent UT College of Architecture and Design studios taught in collaboration with SOM professionals also explored forms and shapes based on biological systems that naturally integrate structure and enclosure. AMIE, a compact microdwelling developed by ORNL research scientists and SOM designers, incorporates next-generation modified atmosphere insulation (MAI), self-shading windows, and the ability to produce, store, and share solar power with a paired hybrid vehicle. It establishes for the first time, a platform for investigating solutions integrating the energy systems in buildings, vehicles, and the power grid. The project was built with broad-based support from local industry and national material suppliers. Designed and constructed in a span of only 9 months, AMIE 1.0 serves as an example of the rapid innovation that can be accomplished when research, design, academic, and industrial partners work in collaboration toward the common goal of a more sustainable and resilient built environment.