A team of researchers from the University of Windsor’s Centre for Engineering Innovation has partnered with Habitat for Humanity Windsor-Essex to build Canada’s first 3D-printed homes for residential use. 

“Habitat for Humanity believes everyone has the right to a safe, decent, affordable place to live,” says Fiona Coughlin, executive director and CEO of Habitat for Humanity Windsor-Essex. “As this cutting-edge technology is evolving, we are excited to partner with the University of Windsor to find ways to provide housing solutions in our community.” 

Coughlin notes that current building codes in Canada are not written with these novel 3D-printing technologies in mind. One of the goals of the project is to design a 3D-printed home that meets residential building code requirements and produce landmark precedents for future practices in cost-effective and environmentally sustainable home construction across the country. 

Civil engineering professor and University of Windsor project lead, Dr. Sreekanta Das, says the project will help address a vital need for a more affordable and environmentally sustainable housing market. He, alongside a team of engineering graduate students and laboratory technicians, will 3D print concrete segments on a large-scale, industrial printer in the university’s Structural Engineering Testing Lab — one of the largest and tallest in Canada — and test them exhaustively for strength, sustainability and durability to ensure they’re safe for residential use. 

“Traditional concrete construction requires more materials,” Das says. “Panels, usually made of wood, are used to create enclosures into which concrete can be poured to form a mold. With 3D printing, the need for panels is eliminated, eventually making construction much cheaper and faster.” 

Das says 3D-printed construction also significantly reduces greenhouse gas emissions generated by the construction industry. A house can be printed with as little as three people within a significantly shorter timeframe and at a much lower cost. He estimates that once these construction processes are perfected, multiple homes can be printed within a few days. 

The team is setting its sights on completing four 3D-printed, residential homes for Windsor-Essex community members in need by April 1, 2022. 

Updated 2022-23 UWindsor Experience Maps are now available for distribution.

These publications are a key resource for prospective and current students to explore the academic, extracurricular, and professional opportunities available to them over the course of their studies at the University of Windsor.

Each Experience Map highlights one of 46 academic program areas to help navigate curricular, co-curricular, and career development, outlining a year-by-year path across all years of study.

Produced by the Office of Enrolment Management with the support of Office of Career Development & Experiential Learning, Public Affairs and Communications, and campus partners across departments and faculties, these experience maps include:

· program highlights and requirements;

· opportunities for students in their first, middle, and final years;

· career planning cycle and relevant competencies;

· lists of common career tracks and sectors;

· post-graduation statistics; and

· campus resources.

The development of these experience maps has been a collaborative effort between faculties, departments, and students, and they will continue to be updated on a yearly basis as the academic and professional development opportunities at the University of Windsor evolve. Digital copies are available for download at uwindsor.ca/experiencemaps.

UWindsor will open its doors to the public this Sunday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. during Open Streets Windsor – an annual event connecting neighbourhoods and people around the community.

The eight-kilometre Open Streets route, spanning neighbourhoods from the west end to the east, will temporarily close street to traffic to allow people to enjoy the diversity of their community on foot.

The University will offer the following free events to the public:

·        Athletics and Recreation will run fitness classes every hour featuring,

o   Morning flow yoga at 10:15 a.m.

o   Body weight HIIT at 11 a.m.

o   Cardio Combat at 12:15 p.m.

o   No equipment/no problem at 1 p.m.

·        The Faculty of Science will encourage the public to make its own catapults and microscope stands at Let’s Talk Science;

·        The Faculty of Engineering will engage visitors with demonstrations of a mechanical robotic arm, model bridge, wind turbine, and more;

·         Centre for Cities, Student Recruitment and Education will be on hand with information tables; and

·        SoCA at the downtown Windsor campus will present Creative City, a collaborative art project inviting people to come together to create a model city using cardboard boxes.