Since losing a project in the Woolsey Fire of 2018, I've dedicated a fair amount of time to thinking about the best ways to rebuild. It’s very important to focus on a holistic strategy that considers all aspects of the building envelope. We know that a house is only as fire safe as it’s weakest element. Our three main strategies are:
- California Passive House. We take the most effective aspects of Passive House building standards for a California home: Airtightness: When walls, roof, doors and windows are designed to be airtight, this prevents drafts and uncontrolled air leakage, significantly reducing energy waste. At the same time, where there are no drafts, there are fewer places for an ember to enter the house and start a fire on furniture, papers or cabinets.
Another important benefit is that ash and toxins don’t enter the house. Ash and toxins have been responsible for a lot of damage in houses that did not burn. And the long term health risks are incalculable. Extreme Insulation: Adding a layer of fire resistant, high performance stone wool insulation outside of the structure of the walls and roof, help protect from extreme temperatures and the insulation and structure itself being lit by an ember.
- Fire-Resilient Building Materials
- Resilient Firescaping. I've received training to prioritize landscaping that helps protect a home from wildfire.