Building resilience through design:
fire-resistive construction

Our hearts go out to the communities impacted by the devastating fires in Los Angeles. We stand in solidarity with those affected and are thinking of the victims.

As rebuilding efforts commence, we are dedicated to making our knowledge of fire-resistive construction more accessible, empowering homeowners with the information they need to build safer, more resilient homes.

Important fire-resistive construction techniques:

  • Building with fire-resistive materials
  • Implementing fire-resistive technologies
  • Choosing a fire-resistive insulation type
  • Designing an airtight structure
  • Using tempered glazing
  • Creating defensible space around structures
  • Maintaining separation between structures

ICCF, strawbale, and foam core sandwich panels

are the three main fire-resistive building materials that we use in our designs.

ICCF

strawbale

sandwich panel

Fire rating of these materials:

Typical wood framed walls have a 1-hour fire rating when constructed with a fire-rated finish like Type X drywall or a stucco finish. This means that it can withstand fire exposure for 1-hour.

The three materials mentioned on the last slide, and shown below, have a higher fire-rating than typical wood framed walls making them more resilient during a fire.

4-hour

2-hour

4-hour

Other benefits to these materials:

  • High thermal performance
  • High acoustical performance
  • Extreme strength in earthquakes and wind
  • Better for the earth (natural OR recycled material)
  • Insect and rot resistant
  • Can streamline construction process (quick assembly)
  • Design versatility
Guesthouse and airplane hangar. Photo by Glyn Jones.

A strawbale home in Southern California

On our website and across our social media platforms, you can find detailed information about each of these fire-resistive materials. We will continue to share our expertise through informative posts, delving deeper into various fire-resistant construction techniques. We welcome your questions and are eager to provide any further information or resources you may find helpful.

A small ICCF home in Southern California

Let’s prioritize resilience in the face of adversity.

Together, we can rebuild stronger and more sustainably.