As wildfire risk intensifies across North America, designing buildings that remain habitable during fire and smoke events is becoming essential—not optional.
This Project of the Month session, presented in conjunction with the Materials Lab at the University of Texas Incombustible exhibition, focuses on two high-performance, panelized wall systems—Ecococon and Collective Carpentry—that are helping redefine what fire-resilient construction can look like in practice.
Rather than focusing on a single project, this session takes a solutions-based approach. We’ll explore how these factory-built assemblies can significantly improve building survivability in fire-prone environments, and what lessons can be applied across different climates, building types, and risk profiles.
Joining us is Andrew Michler, Principal of Hyperlocal Workshop, who brings both professional and lived experience. Andrew designed and built his own Passive House in Colorado’s Ponderosa Pine forest and has been thinking deeply about resilience, wildfire risk, and durable construction since completing the project in 2014.
This session will connect the dots between Passive House principles and real-world fire resilience strategies—from assemblies to systems to occupant safety.
You Will Learn:
How panelized wall systems perform in fire and smoke events
Key design strategies for improving building survivability in wildfire-prone regions
How to protect ventilation systems and maintain indoor air quality during smoke events
Window specification considerations for fire resilience and heat exposure
Best practices for protecting vented assemblies and vulnerable building components
Lessons from living and building a Passive House in a high-risk wildfire landscape
This free presentation will take place on Wednesday, April 8th at 9am PT / 12pm ET and will be followed by a lively Q+A session. Don't miss this opportunity to learn from an industry leader and engage with the PHA community. See you there!