Description

“Fire has always been a normal part of the west but with climate change and ever-expanding built environments our homes and cities are increasingly vulnerable. Firewise design strategies have been based on years of research on wildlands urban interface and home design with promising results. With the advent of Passive House design strategies the multiplier of energy effect practices have translated well beyond just energy savings and comfort but as an organizing factor of resiliency from fire, smoke, power outages, and extreme weather events. This presentation will go into fire resilient design strategies in building design and how those efforts fit very closely with the physics-based passive house design. Coupled with fire resilient materials and landscape appropriate approach, Passive House is a primary fire adaptive strategy for any community at risk.”

Learning Objectives:

1. Describe how building form factor plays a role in fire resilience.
2. Outline how airtightness and dedicated ventilation protects from smoke damages.
3. Describe how energy efficiency increases habitability during power outages.
4. Outline how high-performance window design is key to resilient strategy.

About Andrew

Andrew Michler has focused on high-performance building design and materiality since 1993. He is the author of the book Hyperlocalization of Architecture and the principal of the design group Hyperlocal Workshop. He’s co-founder of Passive House Rocky Mountains, a chapter of The Passive House Network, and has served as chair of Northern Colorado Renewable Energy Society. He completed the first International Certified Passive House in Colorado in 2016 which has won several awards and has been prominent in international design media. He has experienced multiple fire events including the 1991 Oakland Hills fire and in 2020 the Cameron Peak fire, the largest wildfire in Colorado to date. He is currently working on the rebuilding effort for the Marshall Fire in Boulder County.

Hyperlocal Workshop is a full service design firm focusing on original contemporary design and materiality. Our process encourages a long term view of the well being of occupants with minimal environmental impact for generations. Comprising three main threads, hyperlocal architecture is a contextually based contemporary approach to developing forward thinking and humanly engaged shelter. https://hyperlocalarch.com/