Co-authored by Arup and the U.S. Green Building Council California, the new California Wildfire Rebuilding Guide offers practical and sustainable solutions to help wildfire-affected communities rebuild with resilience, safety and long-term climate considerations
The guide provides a comprehensive overview that outlines key concepts, major decisions and instructions so that it is accessible and digestible for a general audience. It also provides a variety of decision-making categories, including placement, envelope design, outdoors, building systems, green innovation and community.
While Southern California is prone to wildfire, that isn’t the only threat residents face. Given this, the guide adopts an integrated approach that considers resilience in the context of other hazards like earthquakes and extreme heat. Similarly, the guide takes a community-focused lens, exploring how to enhance infrastructure and strengthen connectivity through thoughtful and holistic building practice.
Arup and USGBC-CA are developing an update to these guidelines, which is anticipated to come out in summer 2025. The next iteration will provide more actionable resources, including incentive and rebate updates, detailed municipal guidance, design considerations around prefabrication and assembly, as well as access to a clickable materials marketplace.
