Session · Resilience · Designers and consultants · Builders and trades · Owners and developers

Rebates and Resilience: Lessons from a Marshall Fire Rebuild

Kristen Uitto, Caddis Collaborative · April 16, 2026 · Chapter · PHRM (Passive House Rocky Mountains)

A 1,700-square-foot rebuild after the Marshall Fire on a steep Colorado hillside, designed for wildfire risk, aging in place, and a guest suite, with a high-performance envelope, fire-resilient AAC walls, and utility rebates that made it possible.

Key points

• Design strategies for resilient rebuilding in wildfire-prone landscapes.
• Slope-driven architecture for views, daylight, and accessibility.
• Fire-wise landscaping and material choices as mitigation.
• The role of utility rebates in budget-conscious, high-performance rebuilds.
• Balancing occupant needs, aesthetics, and efficiency after a disaster.

Learning objectives

• Analyze design strategies for resilient residential rebuilding in wildfire-prone landscapes.
• Explore cantilevered and slope-driven architecture to maximize views, daylight, and accessibility.
• Assess fire-wise landscaping and material choices as part of a comprehensive mitigation strategy.
• Examine the role of utility rebate programs in high-performance, budget-conscious fire rebuilds.
• Apply lessons learned for balancing occupant needs, aesthetics, and energy efficiency in post-disaster residential projects.

Topics: Cost, Wildfire and smoke