Building Materials

U. of Maine Facility Will Be Large-Scale Test Bed to Make 3D Homes and Materials

By Johanna Knapschaefer

SMRT

A rendering shows how multiple teams can research a variety of processes and materials in one large space.

October 26, 2026

An advanced 3D manufacturing system that will use automated technology to design, build, test and validate a variety of products – including bio-homes, boats and bridges – is gearing up to fully operate. The Green Engineering and Materials Factory of the Future is a 50,000-sq-ft mass timber structure nearing completion at the University of Maine campus in Orono

Boston-based Consigli Construction is the construction manager for the nearly $82 million project. The structure is technically complete, and students are using it for classes, according to the university's Advanced Structures and Composites Center spokeswoman MJ Gautrau. “Work is underway on the bays with the machinery and only aesthetic finishes remain” she said.…