Civilization Designer Track

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https://chatgpt.com/share/696dac03-f75c-8010-8da3-a4d9202cb8e3

A high-intensity, time-boxed design sprint whose only purpose is to measurably improve FBEFT economics.

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https://chatgpt.com/share/696dac03-f75c-8010-8da3-a4d9202cb8e3

Learn Open Source Product Development by Building the Machines That Build Civilization

Future Builders is not a school and not a lab. It is a production ecosystem where open-source product development is learned by shipping tools and machines into real economic use.

All participants begin with the Future Builders Crash Course—an intensive, reality-based build where mental models meet constraints. From there, contributors enter focused three-month design phases that directly support a live construction enterprise.

From May to August, participants develop open 3D-printed house components, repairable cordless tools, and material systems that reduce the cost of housing production.

From August to November, the focus shifts to CNC fabrication, heavy machines, and automation—culminating in the collaborative build of an open skid steer and a global challenge to design 100 useful implements in 100 days.

Every design must ship into real production. Every machine must lower cost, increase throughput, or eliminate dependency. Participants leave not with credentials, but with proven designs, fabrication capability, and the ability to replicate or deploy these systems in their own enterprises.

Future Builders exists to turn capable people into economically sovereign producers—and to reinvest that capability into open machines that make civilization cheaper, stronger, and more resilient.

Learning Through Open Source Production

Participants learn open source product development by:

• Identifying real production bottlenecks
• Designing solutions under cost and time constraints
• Fabricating parts using CNC machines and additive manufacturing
• Installing solutions into live builds
• Measuring economic and performance impact
• Publishing designs, documentation, and results openly

This approach emphasizes learning through real-world consequence rather than abstraction or simulation.

3D Printed Parts Development

CDT Phase 1: 3D Printed Parts Program

Objective: Achieve major house BOM cost reduction by replacing high-cost plastic, trim, and non-structural components with open, locally printable systems that install directly into real FBEFT houses.

Ranking criteria:

1. Total dollar impact per house
2. Part count and repeatability
3. Elimination of proprietary or specialty products
4. Installation labor reduction
5. Print feasibility at scale

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Tier 1: Highest Economic Impact (Major BOM Reduction)

(Mandatory CDT Phase 1 deliverables)

1. Exterior plastic trim system (white trim replacement)
   • Scope: Window trim, door trim, corner boards, fascia interfaces
   • Current cost: ~$4,000 per house (purchased PVC trim)
   • Advantage: Parametric profiles, length modularity, zero rot
   • Constraint: Non-structural only
   • Estimated savings: $3,000–$4,000 per house

1. Plastic lumber for deck boards and exterior non-structural elements
   • Scope: Decking, steps, rail infill, benches
   • Current cost: $2,000–$4,000 per house
   • Advantage: Printed or extruded recycled plastic, long life
   • Constraint: Decking only (non-structural framing excluded)
   • Estimated savings: $1,500–$3,000 per house

1. Non-structural interior wall infill modules (bathroom / utility areas)
   • Scope: 4x4 modular wall panels for bathrooms, mechanical rooms
   • Current cost: Tile backer board, waterproof panels, framing labor
   • Advantage: Integrated waterproofing, conduit paths, fixtures
   • Constraint: Not load-bearing; installs inside framed walls
   • Estimated savings: $1,500–$3,000 per house

1. Electrical boxes (switch, outlet, junction)
   • Quantity: 40–80 per house
   • Advantage: Custom depth, airtight geometry
   • Estimated savings: $200–$400 per house

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Tier 2: High Impact (BOM + Labor Reduction)

(Required unless superseded by Tier 1 alternatives)

1. PV racking mounts, standoffs, and cable guides
   • Advantage: Replace aluminum racking components
   • Estimated savings: $500–$1,500 per house

1. Custom trim blocks and finish interfaces
   • Scope: Hose bibs, light mounts, vent terminations
   • Advantage: Eliminate site carpentry
   • Estimated savings: $1,000–$2,000 per house

1. Plumbing pipe clips, brackets, and vibration-isolated supports
   • Estimated savings: $300–$1,000 per house

1. HVAC and ventilation brackets and spacers
   • Estimated savings: $300–$1,000 per house

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Tier 2.5: Plumbing Components (Conditional / Code-Aware)

(Included in CDT Phase 1 with explicit constraints)

1. Plumbing pipe clips, brackets, and supports
   • Scope: PEX, PVC, drain lines
   • Advantage: Custom spacing, vibration control, rapid install
   • Inspection risk: Low
   • Estimated savings: $300–$1,000 per house

1. Non-pressure plumbing fixtures and adapters
   • Scope: Drain guides, funnels, standpipe adapters
   • Advantage: Custom geometry, fewer fittings
   • Inspection risk: Low–medium
   • Estimated savings: $200–$800 per house

1. Utility mounting plates for plumbing penetrations
   • Scope: Hose bibs, shower valves, cleanouts
   • Advantage: Eliminate custom blocking and trim
   • Inspection risk: Low
   • Estimated savings: $500–$1,500 per house

1. Plumbing test caps and temporary construction fittings
   • Scope: Pressure testing, staging
   • Advantage: Reusable, rapid testing
   • Inspection risk: None
   • Estimated savings: Labor and waste reduction

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Explicit Exclusions (Phase 1 Plumbing)

• Pressurized potable water fittings
• Threaded pressure couplers
• Structural plumbing components
• Anything requiring NSF or pressure certification unless certified

Tier 3: Medium Impact (Workflow & Throughput Gains)

(Secondary CDT Phase 1 focus)

1. Wire management clips, guides, and strain reliefs
   • Quantity: 100+ per house
   • Estimated savings: $300–$800 per house

1. Cable trays and low-voltage raceways
   • Estimated savings: $200–$500 per house

1. Construction jigs and alignment guides
   • Economic impact: Labor and error reduction

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Tier 4: Strategic / Platform Components

(Optional but ecosystem-enabling)

1. Reusable site logistics tooling
   • Fastener bins, kitting trays, tool holders
   • Economic impact: Swarm efficiency

1. Decorative fixtures and hardware
   • Handles, knobs, covers
   • Low per-house savings, high cumulative effect

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Program Constraints

• All printed components must be:
  • Installed in a real FBEFT house
  • Non-structural unless explicitly approved
  • Documented with CAD, print settings, and material specs
  • Evaluated for cost delta vs purchased alternatives
• Structural framing members are excluded in Phase 1
• Fire, UV, and moisture resistance must be documented

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Success Criteria

• Target BOM reduction: $15,000–$25,000 per house
• All Tier 1 components installed in production
• Exterior trim and deck systems validated for durability
• Bathroom wall modules validated for waterproofing
• Designs released as open production assets