“Innovation is taking two things that exist and putting them together in a new way.”— Tom Freston In this episode of the RESTalk podcast, Bill Spohn sits down with Jason Barlow, former President & CEO of Habitat for Humanity Central Arizona (retired), to discuss a groundbreaking achievement in homebuilding—the first 3D-printed concrete home in Arizona. Jason shares how this innovative project, born from a collaboration with ASU graduates and a German scaffolding company, PERI, pushed the boundaries of affordable housing construction. From overcoming extreme heat challenges to designing a home with unique structural and artistic elements, Jason details the incredible journey of bringing this home to life. The home received a HERS® Index Score of 48. The conversation dives into the long-term implications of 3D printing in construction, its potential for large-scale housing developments, and the lessons learned from Habitat’s pioneering efforts. Jason also touches on Habitat’s broader mission, its work in providing energy-efficient and affordable housing, and how listeners can engage with their local Habitat affiliates. This episode is a fascinating look at the intersection of technology, sustainability, and community impact. Since 2021, RESNET® and Habitat for Humanity International have an established national relationship of collaboration to demonstrate how homes can be energy efficient without losing their affordability. The collaboration reflects the shared goals of both organizations for efficient, affordable and healthy homes. Per the RESNET National Registry, Habitat for Humanity has built over 15,000 homes that were HERS rated. The average HERS Index Score of a Habitat home built in 2024 is 53. This means that Habitat built homes in 2023 were 47 percent more efficient than a home built to 2006 energy codes and standards. The new homes built by Habitat for Humanity have demonstrated a more efficient score by the RESNET HERS Index Score than the national average HERS Index Score of homes in 2024 of 55. Here is the LinkedIn profile for our podcast guest Jason Barlow: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasbarlow/ Additional information as well on the 3D home: https://habitatcaz.org/habitats-first-3d-printed-home-in-the-u-s/ Habitat RESNET 2025 Conference Presentation 2025.pdf Habitat for Humanity’s first 3D-printed home in Arizona Why not us? Habitat’s 3D-Printed home in Tempe, Arizona (3 min video) Listen to the full episode here.
