Build climate-resilient homes and achieve a high energy performance standard

Prioritizing climate resiliency when designing new homes doesn’t have to come at the expense of energy performance. In fact, resiliency and efficiency often go hand in hand. Resilient design choices, such as insulated concrete forms that can withstand high winds and seismic activity, often correlate with higher energy performance.

Builders can seek inspiration from other businesses and certification programs to discover innovative strategies that could help improve the energy performance and resiliency of their next project.

Resilient homes are safe homes

Through the use of durable materials and advanced framing techniques, builders can produce resilient homes with strong structural integrity. This design practice can reassure homeowners that their home will help protect them in the face of severe weather conditions and natural disasters.

Resilience-forward strategies result in safe, energy-efficient homes. A new strategy that boosts resilience, like incorporating high-performance windows with impact-resistant glass, could even help builders meet home certification requirements.

How builders in the Northwest prioritize resilience

In Central Oregon—where wildfire smoke frequently impacts indoor and outdoor air quality—builders pay special attention to airtightness and ventilation. Bend’s RootedHomes builds homes with an airtightness of around 2.5 ACH50 to help ensure homeowner comfort no matter how smoky it gets. Their homes also incorporate advanced, high-performance techniques alongside resilient-forward choices such as upgrading and doubling the thickness of wall insulation.

Homes built to withstand extreme cold weather may help homeowners avoid frozen and burst pipes. The homes in NeighborWorks® Boise’s Pocket Neighborhoods™ are designed with quality and efficiency top of mind. Features include comprehensive water management systems that cut water supply in the event of a leak, which helps mitigate the extent of water damage, and complete thermal enclosure systems that offer protection from the elements—in addition to aiding the energy performance of each home.

Gain insight from resilience-focused programs

While home certification programs related to resilience aren’t yet widespread, taking a closer look at the measures they prioritize can help builders better understand the benefits of different building techniques.

The Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety’s (IBHS) Wildfire Prepared Home™ designation program educates homeowners in Oregon and California on how to better protect their homes in a wildfire. While this program aims to improve existing homes, the requirements could provide builders insight into the latest fire-resistant strategies.

To provide more specific guidance, an expanded form of the IBHS program is currently being piloted. Upon completion, a KB Home development in California will earn the first Wildfire Prepared Neighborhood designation and serve as an example of how to meet stringent home- and neighborhood-level wildfire resilience standards.

BetterBuiltNW keeps tabs on developments in resilient home design

Take your building strategy to the next level using the resources, tools, and trainings on the BetterBuiltNW website. Check back regularly for the latest information and updates.

Email the BetterBuiltNW team at info@betterbuiltnw.com with questions about resilient design strategies relevant to home building in the Northwest.