California Passive House is our system that focuses on the Passive House elements that will be most important to a California homeowner. 

High performance windows and doors are important for energy efficiency and can be extremely important in case of wildfire reaching the structure.

We make sure that we communicate with each homeowner and select the systems that fit your needs and budget. We start from a compact footprint and keep the volume simple, avoiding spots where an ember could land and stay.

Fire-Resilient Building Materials We have many options when it comes to high performance building materials that contribute to the defense of your home.


It’s very important to focus on a holistic strategy that considers all aspects of the building envelope.  A structure is only as strong as its weakest element.

Cladding options include fiber cement boards, thermally modified wood and bamboo.  Insulation made of stone wool, in exterior rigid boards and interior batts, contribute to a fire resilient wall.

The design of walls, roof and elements like  vents, needs to be based on the latest data.  We keep an eye on research, as well as strategies that have been successful in recent fire events.

Wildfire Defensible Space is the buffer zone you create between your home and the flammable vegetation surrounding it. This space helps slow or stop the spread of wildfire and protects your home from catching fire.

Key zones:

  • Zone 0: (0-5 feet from your home): This is the most crucial zone. It should be completely free of flammable materials. Use hardscaping like gravel or stone instead of mulch.

  • Zone 1: (5-30 feet from your home): Clear all dead plants, grass, and weeds.  Trim trees and shrubs to create vertical and horizontal spacing.

  • Zone 2: (30-100 feet from your home): Continue reducing vegetation, but with less intensity.


Creating defensible space is one of the most effective ways to protect your home from wildfire. 


You can learn more with our

Fire Smart YouTube Resources.

CLICK HERE

Wildfire Defensible Space is the buffer zone you create between your home and the flammable vegetation surrounding it. This space helps slow or stop the spread of wildfire and protects your home from catching fire.

Key zones:

  • Zone 0: (0-5 feet from your home): This is the most crucial zone. It should be completely free of flammable materials. Use hardscaping like gravel or stone instead of mulch.

  • Zone 1: (5-30 feet from your home): Clear all dead plants, grass, and weeds.  Trim trees and shrubs to create vertical and horizontal spacing.

  • Zone 2: (30-100 feet from your home): Continue reducing vegetation, but with less intensity.


Creating defensible space is one of the most effective ways to protect your home from wildfire. 

You can learn more with our Fire Smart YouTube Resources.

CLICK HERE

Wildfire Defensible Space is the buffer zone you create between your home and the flammable vegetation surrounding it. This space helps slow or stop the spread of wildfire and protects your home from catching fire.

Key zones:

  • Zone 0: (0-5 feet from your home): This is the most crucial zone. It should be completely free of flammable materials. Use hardscaping like gravel or stone instead of mulch.

  • Zone 1: (5-30 feet from your home): Clear all dead plants, grass, and weeds.  Trim trees and shrubs to create vertical and horizontal spacing.

  • Zone 2: (30-100 feet from your home): Continue reducing vegetation, but with less intensity.


Creating defensible space is one of the most effective ways to protect your home from wildfire. 

You can learn more with our Fire Smart YouTube Resources.

CLICK HERE

One great option that homeowners should consider is to team up with neighbors. When two or more houses are designed to the same resilient standards with fire resistant materials, gravel on the ground and metal fences between properties, the process can be more efficient.

Construction cost can be lowered for a set of houses, and insurance companies can provide better deals if they are insuring a portion of a block that has been designed to prevent fire from spreading from house to house.

Click here to let us know what you need in your new Resilient California House

One great option that homeowners should consider is to team up with neighbors. When two or more houses are designed to the same resilient standards with fire resistant materials, gravel on the ground and metal fences between properties, the process can be more efficient.

Construction cost can be lowered for a set of houses, and insurance companies can provide better deals if they are insuring a portion of a block that has been designed to prevent fire from spreading from house to house.

One great option that homeowners should consider is to team up with neighbors. When two or more houses are designed to the same resilient standards with fire resistant materials, gravel on the ground and metal fences between properties, the process can be more efficient.

Construction cost can be lowered for a set of houses, and insurance companies can provide better deals if they are insuring a portion of a block that has been designed to prevent fire from spreading from house to house.

CLICK HERE to let us know what you need in your new Resilient California House

Resilient California House

Whether you’re looking to build a new house, or need to rebuild a house that was lost, a new California house today should be designed to deal with the main challenges and dangers that we face now and that will become more serious in the coming decades:

Extreme climate and wildfire.

Our strategy is focused on the implementation of three elements:

  • California Passive House

  • Fire-Resilient Building Materials  

  • Wildfire Defensible Space

Whether you’re looking to build a new house, or need to rebuild a house that was lost, a new California house today should be designed to deal with the main challenges and dangers that we face now and that will become more serious in the coming decades:

Extreme climate and wildfire.

Our strategy is focused on the implementation of three elements:

  • California Passive House

  • Fire-Resilient Building Materials  

  • Wildfire Defensible Space