Navajo Nation Council Delegates Tour House Manufacturing Facility

Andrew Dennis, founder of GigaCrete, shows the strength of the company’s plastering technology to Delegates Eugene Tso (center), Vince James (center-right), and Kee Allen Begay (far right).

Published April 2, 2019

LAS VEGAS — A delegation of Navajo Nation Council Delegates toured the GigaCrete house manufacturing facility on March 26 while attending the 2019 Reservation Economic Summit.

The delegates arranged the tour to investigate new, sturdier technologies for constructing homes and community buildings on the Nation.

Among the tour participants, which included other tribal nations’ leadership, were Delegates Kee Allen Begay, Jr. (Low Mountain, Many Farms, Nazlini, Blue Gap/Tachee, Tselani/Cottonwood), Vince R. James (Jeddito, Cornfields, Ganado, Kin Dah Łichíí, Steamboat), and Eugene Tso (Chinle).

GigaCrete has developed a method of building construction that can be custom designed for different sizes and features.

Their construction method uses a fire-rated foam, steel framing, and proprietary plastering material specific to outdoor or indoor applications.

Delegate Begay, who has been a consistent advocate for veterans and housing issues, was interested in exploring whether GigaCrete’s technology could build quality homes quickly and inexpensively for Navajo veterans.

“The durability of the homes built on the Nation has been a consistent issue. As a council, we are constantly exploring new, innovative options for providing for our people,” stated Delegate Begay.

Andrew Dennis, the company’s founder and current president, stated that its materials may be more expensive than traditional stick-built homes but have the benefit of substantially shorter construction times and consequently lower labor costs. A six to eight-foot wall panel can be constructed in approximately 60-80 seconds.

The company shared examples of homes using their technology using unskilled labor trained on site, with all but the most technical wiring and plumbing performed by non-professionals.