MALIBU, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–A group of state and local officials, fire-impacted Malibu and Pacific Palisades residents, architects, builders and trade association representatives gathered in Malibu’s Sunset Mesa on November 8 to unveil a vision for a more resilient, cost-effective and sustainable California built of non-combustible materials such as concrete.
The community-focused event featured a large group of Sunset Mesa residents who have committed to rebuilding using innovative ICCF (Insulated Composite Concrete Forms) systems.
Policy and community leaders shared information about this more resilient rebuilding approach and provided comments on how this vision for California’s future is coming to life.
Tom Tietz, Executive Director, California Nevada Cement Association: “As California faces rising issues around livability, sustainability, and insurability in the face of increasingly frequent and devastating natural disasters, one thing is clear: we can’t keep building the way we are building. There’s a growing demand for a more resilient, cost-effective California: our association is a resource for exploring fire-resistant options.”
Robert Dugan, President and CEO, CalCIMA: “In Sacramento, a vision for a more fire resilient California was unanimously supported with the passage of SR-61, promoting safer communities with more resilient building practices. Resilient communities require resilient infrastructure; homes that withstand fire, neighborhoods that protect families, and systems that allow emergency responders to move quickly when disaster strikes. We have to start with building homes and communities that do not burn; we need to make it easy for people. The Sunset Mesa neighborhood between Pacific Palisades and Malibu is demonstrating what this looks like in practice. Families are committing to rebuilding together using ICCF (Insulated Composite Concrete Form) systems. Make no mistake, this is not just one neighborhood’s decision; it’s a model we’re seeing emerge in communities across California who are insisting on rebuilding with resilient materials.”
Victor Joseph, President and COO, Mercury Insurance: “Mercury has been protecting Californians for more than 60 years, and we’re focused on working with homeowners, local and state government, and builders to create wildfire resilient communities. We believe our neighbors and communities will be safer and more insurable when more resilient construction techniques and development strategies are utilized. Those investments will allow Mercury to say “yes” to homeowners in high-risk areas more often and improve the affordability of insurance.”
Karen Martinez, homeowner and Sunset Mesa community organizer: “I believe that building with noncombustible materials is the way of the future. What I’m trying to do here is educate the public, as well as architects, contractors, government officials, etc. that one can build a beautiful home that won’t burn at the same cost as building a wood framed structure.”
Janek Dombrowa, JTD Architects: “Building with resilience is more than building in concrete. It’s about how we design spaces that are safer, more livable, and more aligned with our perceptions of a sustainable home and environmental realities of life in the WUI (Wildlife Urban Interface).”
Images and assets from the Sunset Mesa event are available online at https://bit.ly/4nHohc0.
For additional information about the Sunset Mesa ICCF rebuilding project or the Building with Resilience effort, please contact Richard VanOrnum at [email protected].
The Building With Resilience effort engages lawmakers, communities, and citizens to increase awareness and education, and consolidate resources for experts seeking information on the highest levels of structural durability, strategies for slowing wildfire spread, and increasing building sustainably. The initiative’s mission also includes fostering cross-sector collaboration that advances safer, more sustainable practices for building and rebuilding homes, commercial structures, and infrastructure. The effort is a collaboration between the California Nevada Cement Association (www.cncement.org), CalCIMA (www.calcima.org) and the National Ready Mixed Concrete Association (NRMCA).
Contacts
Media Contact: Richard VanOrnum, [email protected]
