California is on fire

It's been headline news for the past 5 days - In California, another season of wildfires is raging. At the time I am writing this post, estimates are that there are 140 thousand acres burning in the Angeles National Forest that have destroyed 62 homes and 30 other buildings and cost an estimated $21 million and forced the evacuation of thousands of residents - all according to the latest report from CNN. Early on during the incident, two California firefighters were killed when the vehicle they were driving in left the roadway and fell 800 feet down a steep hillside.

View Los Angeles area fires in a larger map

The connections between increasing frequency and intensity of wildfires around the globe with the role of climate change is rather well documented. Basically, a warmer climate mean more fires, and more fires mean more greenhouse gases, leading to warmer climates and so on... Wildfires Fuel Climate Change is a story in the April 23, 2009 issue of Scientific American giving an overview of the results of a study conducted by 22 scientists from a range of disciplines and countries in an effort to better understand the global impact of fire.

...across the globe, fires have been getting larger and stronger. "We are witnessing an increasing instance of these megafires," says Thomas Swetnam, director of the Laboratory of Tree-Ring Research at the University of Arizona. This year alone has seen an increase in both the magnitude and deadliness of conflagrations sweeping Australia and the U.S. Southwest. In the past 20 years, the area scorched by fire in the western U.S. was six times greater than in the two decades that preceded it. These infernos are in large part a result of longer, drier summers, which are only poised to get worse with climate change.

Other issues that are compounding the wildfire issue are concerning development in areas without proper infrastructure and poor land management of what is known as the Wildland Urban Interface.

So the problem is clear and present, but what are the GreenZoneSolutions to dealing with wildfires? I wanted to examine the issue from the residential perspective here. What can be done by homeowners to reduce the impact of a wildfire on their property, without compromising style or function and, at the same time increase efficiencies of energy systems? Specifically, let's briefly look at one building construction technique that could solve both problems.

Monolithic domes are one type of building construction that could be a GreenZoneSolution to the problems of increasingly intense wildfires. From the Monolithic Domes Institute website:

Monolithic Domes are constructed following a method

that requires a tough, inflatable Airform, steel-reinforced concrete and a polyurethane foam insulation. Each of these ingredients is used in a technologically specific way.

Our domes can be designed to fit any architectural need: homes, cabins, churches, schools, gymnasiums, arenas and stadiums, bulk storages, landlord dwellings and various other privately or publicly owned facilities.

Monolithic Domes meet FEMA standards for providing near-absolute protection and have a proven ability to survive tornadoes, hurricanes, earthquakes, most manmade disasters, fire, termites and rot.

They are cost-efficient, earth-friendly, extremely durable and easily maintained. Most importantly, a Monolithic Dome uses about 50% less energy for heating and cooling than a same-size, conventionally constructed building.

Beginning in 1970, Monolithic Domes have been built and are in use in virtually every American state and in Canada, Mexico, South America, Europe, Asia, Africa and Australia.

Monolithic Domes are neither restricted by climate nor by site location. In terms of energy consumption, durability, disaster resistance and maintenance, Monolithic Domes perform well in any climate, even extremely hot or cold ones. And they can be constructed on virtually any site: in the mountains, on beaches, even underground or underwater.

While, if the form appeals to you, they are an interesting option to consider, they are not perfect:

Engineering Considerations

• The techniques used in monolithic dome construction are very different from normal construction methods, so only specially trained construction crews are suited for building a dome using the modern techniques.
• The curved surfaces inherent to monolithic dome construction often result in oddly shaped rooms when divided up, which can result in wasted space in narrow corners.
• The monolithic dome's lack of seams may make it too well sealed; dehumidifiers are required in all but the driest climates.

Social Considerations

• The radically different appearance of the domes decreases the appeal for their use as private residences
• Building permits may be difficult to obtain if local officials are not familiar with the monolithic dome.
• Resale of a monolithic dome home may be difficult because of its unconventional appearance.

The style may not appeal to everyone, for sure, but the benefits are clear and it just goes to show that it is possible to have a resilient residence that will conserve resources and is certainly different - Renewable, Reliable and Remarkable

8 minute video on dome homes from the Monolithic Dome Institute