Wildfire Case Study
Building for Insurability, Resilience, Energy Efficiency, and Housing Affordability: Addressing the True Cost of Housing
In wildfire-prone areas, strategies that reduce home combustibility include metal roofing, air sealing, and removing combustible material within five feet of a home. After the 2023 Lahaina f ire in Hawaii one home was left standing while neighboring ones burned. This century-old home survived because it had a metal roof less susceptible to combustion when sparks flew, cleared debris and vegetation, and 3-4 feet of gravel around the home. After the LA fires, several homes also remained standing. These homes had metal roofs, and one home had a noncombustible perimeter wall and cleared vegetation. Equally important, the homes were built to the highly energy-efficient Passive House standard. Air sealing intended to cut heating and cooling costs also prevents sparks from entering the home. Several wildfire standards exist to support better new construction and retrofits. KB Homes’s 64-unit Dixon Trail neighborhood in southern CA is built to IBHS Wildfire Preparedness Plus.