The California and Hawaii Firestorms Could Have Been Prevented
It’s Time to Shift to Resilient Architecture and New Building Codes
In the face of increasing environmental threats, building homes that can withstand nature’s fury is no longer optional—it’s essential. From hurricanes and tornadoes to floods and earthquakes, modern housing must be designed to endure these challenges while keeping residents safe. There really is no excuse why entire neighborhoods in California are now smoldering ash. Metal roofs, concrete walls, and smart landscaping could have mitigated the firestorms saving lives and billions of dollars in destroyed property. Water issues, in particular, have been blamed for this fire, but aren’t the primary cause of the spread. Despite water shortages, entire communities burned because they were made of flammable materials. It’s that simple. Unfortunately, it has taken just such firestorms burning entire cities over and over since the days of Rome to wake people up to the fact densely populated urban and suburban communities must move from stick to brick. It’s not like Californians didn’t have experience with this. The Great San Francisco Fire of 1906 destroyed 80% of the city for the same reason…building from wood. Despite sane building codes in most cities recognizing that constructing densely packed homes out of highly flammable wood and asphalt shingles is a disaster waiting to happen, the geniuses of California’s innovation somehow missed this blatantly obvious danger. Again, this didn’t need to happen. Among the most promising advancements in fire prevention is resilient architecture and 3D-printed homes. These structures, stronger and more durable than traditional stick-built homes, offer unparalleled resistance to extreme weather, fire, and seismic events. Further, when houses are built to withstand the forces of nature, crippling insurance premiums become an unnecessary obsolete relic. Yet, regulatory roadblocks and outdated building codes hinder their widespread adoption of best building practices and the abolishment of the corrupt insurance industry that rarely serves the purpose for which it was intended. It’s time to rethink these barriers and prioritize solutions that save lives and protect communities.
3D-Printed Homes: A New Standard for Resilience
3D-printed homes, constructed primarily from concrete composites, are inherently stronger and more durable than wood-frame structures. Their monolithic design—seamless walls and integrated reinforcement—eliminates weak points that traditional homes often have. This makes them particularly effective in combating the destructive forces of tornadoes, hurricanes, floods, and earthquakes. They also are nearly immune to bugs and pests and provide a much more environmentally sound and energy efficient structure. If that’s not enough incentive, 3D-printed homes are nearly limitless in how they can be creatively designed, are fast to construct, and will cost a fraction of stick-built homes. Remember, we really haven’t updated the way we build homes in a significant way for hundreds of years. Printed homes are truly a revolution in building that are smart, resilient, and affordable. Here are just a few of the key benefits:
Tornado-Prone Areas: Tornadoes generate wind speeds exceeding 200 mph, easily tearing apart wood-framed homes. In contrast, 3D-printed homes can be engineered to withstand these winds and are basically a cozy bomb shelter. Their reinforced concrete walls resist high-speed debris, which is a primary cause of injury and death in tornadoes. By offering shelter that remains intact during storms, these homes will save lives.
Hurricane Resilience: Hurricanes bring not only extreme winds but also storm surges. The robust materials used in 3D-printed homes can endure both. Concrete structures resist water damage, and seamless walls prevent wind-driven rain from infiltrating and compromising the home’s interior. Designs can also be optimized to minimize wind forces, further reducing the stress on the structure. In addition, should the building become flooded, it can be easily washed out, cleaned, dried, and remediated without any permanent damage to the structure itself.
Flood Damage Mitigation: Elevated foundations and water-resistant materials are easily incorporated into 3D-printed designs, making them ideal for flood-prone areas. Unlike wood, which warps and rots when exposed to water, concrete can endure prolonged exposure without significant degradation. As mentioned above, printed buildings also allow for any water intrusion to be rapidly mitigated without any long term or costly damage.
Earthquake Resistance: Earthquakes test the flexibility and strength of a structure. 3D-printed homes can be designed with reinforced foundations and flexible materials that absorb seismic forces, reducing the risk of catastrophic collapse. Unlike brittle masonry or traditional stick-built homes, 3D-printed structures can adapt to the shifting ground. Further, the modular monolithic design can create pods that can essentially ride on top of seismic waves while still maintaining their integrity.
Fire Resistance: As we have seen in California and Hawaii recently, the devastation from a rapidly moving forest fire can be near total in areas of densely packed stick-built homes. Fires jump from one building to another with little to no mitigation. In fact, the construction methods and materials actually fuel these fires. Sadly, these fires have also led to shocking losses of life. Using 3-D construction techniques and/or resilient building materials like steel and concrete instead of wood could have prevented these tragedies.
Saving Lives and Reducing Dependence on Insurance
These advancements in resilience do more than protect property—they save lives. In tornado and hurricane-prone regions, where the risk of injury and death is highest, having a home that withstands extreme forces is invaluable. Residents no longer need to rely solely on external shelters or hope their homes survive; they can live with peace of mind knowing their homes are designed to endure. This shift in building codes and construction methods and materials like found in the durability and resilience of 3D-printed homes, reduces or even eliminates the need for expensive home insurance. Further, these homes are less likely to sustain catastrophic damage, and even when repairs are necessary, they are often minimal. By investing in resilient construction upfront, homeowners can avoid the home damage, which then leads to the frustration of denied claims, rising premiums, and insufficient payouts that plague traditional insurance systems.
The Regulatory Roadblock: Time for Change
Despite their obvious advantages, 3D-printed homes and other resilient architecture face significant hurdles due to outdated building codes and regulations. To be clear, it is the bureaucracy that is forcing Americans to continue building death traps and buying useless insurance, not any technological hurdles. In fact, I’d be willing to bet that nothing will change as California rebuilds and the status quo stupidity continues. If California doesn’t learn anything, you’ll see the same exact stick-built construction being thrown back up setting the stage for the next firestorm. Considering the current technology to prevent this, one could even say the entire system is a criminal racket. These building codes, often rooted in decades-old standards, were designed with traditional construction in mind and fail to account for the unique capabilities of 3D printing. Some examples of the hurdles facing implementation and adopting of resilient architecture are:
Material Limitations: Many codes require specific materials, such as wood or steel, even when stronger, more sustainable alternatives are available.
Inspection Bottlenecks: Regulatory agencies are often unfamiliar with 3D printing, leading to delays and unnecessary scrutiny.
Zoning and HOA Restrictions: Some areas outright prohibit unconventional construction methods and resilient landscaping, stifling innovation.
Inability to Innovate: Sadly, too many people simply aren’t able to adapt to new technologies and ways of doing things.
Economic Monopolies: Overhauling traditional building methods would trigger the transfer of hundreds of billions of dollars as companies like shingle producers and traditional carpenters lost significant market share while others like concrete companies prospered.
With these points in mind, to unlock the potential of 3D-printed homes and resilient architecture, policymakers must modernize building codes. Rather than trying to stick the rest of America with the bills of the disaster and pawn off responsibility, California really has a chance to lead the revolutionary change in building across America. This includes recognizing alternative materials, streamlining approval processes, and training inspectors to evaluate new technologies effectively. There will also need to be a transition period as a pool of skilled labor is developed and industrial building processes and supporting market infrastructure is built out.
A Safer Future Through Innovation
What we witnessed in California did not need to happen. It is as much a man-made disaster as any natural one. Bad policy, failure to innovate, regulatory paralysis, corruption, and cronyism all played a part. No one wanted to be the person to say no, you can’t build a highly flammable $25 million death trap next to 1,000 similar death traps. Equally, no one wanted to say yes, you can build that rather unique and unconventional house next to the 1,000 $25 million homes. Nonetheless, the 21st century demands homes that are not only comfortable but also resilient, sustainable, and lifesaving. 3D-printed homes and resilient architecture represent a revolution in construction, offering unmatched strength and adaptability to extreme environmental conditions. As this is implemented, the need for and the costs of insurance will be reduced. In fact, the entire insurance system in the US needs to be reformed. By prioritizing the adoption of resilient architecture and removing regulatory barriers, we can protect lives, reduce disaster recovery costs, and build a safer, more sustainable future. The technology is here—it’s time for the systems that govern construction to catch up.
D.t.Y
1/9/2025