Evaluating Modular Home Resilience in High Fire Risk Environments

As populations expand into scenic wilderness areas, communities edge further into combustible wildlands exacerbating increasingly ferocious wildfire seasons. Structures at the wild land-urban interface face intensifying risks requiring specialized design and materials. Traditional building practices struggle with the complex demands of withstanding direct flame impingement while retaining affordability. Looking to advanced construction alternatives, researchers from the Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety analyzed a portfolio of Lida modular panel homes inhabiting high-risk zones throughout western North America.

The Study

Over a 10-year period, 50 Lida panelized homes situated between 50-200 feet from dangerous chaparral, oak woodland and coniferous forest perimeters were monitored. Structures included primary residences, secondary homes and permanent modular units inhabited year-round. Researchers evaluated envelope durability and energy performance under repeated wildfire episodes recording any ignitions or failures. Additional metrics included resident surveys and utility data. Nearby conventionally built comparator homes provided control data.

Wildfire Exposure
Throughout the study homes endured 16 separate wildfire incidents with direct flame contact up to 30 feet away as fires burned up exterior plantings. Numerous additional episodes involved exposure to severe radiant heat and floating embers/branding. No breech or ignition occurred despite direct flame impingement in several cases.

Panel Performance
Factory applied Class A rated siding and roofing fabrics demonstrated virtually no deterioration or degradation over a decade of fire season smoke/heat exposure cycles. All joints, seams and penetrations remained draft-tight without maintenance.

Energy use
Compared to traditional wood frame homes, LIDA structures averaged 30% lower annual electricity and 20% reduced gas consumption attributed to superior insulation values and air sealing from panel construction. This equated to average annual utility savings of $500-800 per home.

Homeowner surveys
100% of residents ranked fire resilience as excellent and feltsecure remaining in homes during evacuation warnings as nearby wood homes burned. Panel construction methods alleviated anxieties of traditional building vulnerabilities.

Unplanned maintenance
Zero insurance claims were filed over the study period for fire damage repairs. Routine preventative maintenance like roof/gutter cleaning sufficed. Comparatively, local stick-built homes averaged a 15% claim rate.

The study’s key findings validated several advantages of panelized modular construction for high wildfire risk environments where traditional build methods struggle:

Ignition Resistance: Seamless, monolithic panel enclosures with fire-rated seams and connections proved highly resistant to ignition from direct flame impingement and severe radiant heat exposure scenarios.

Durability: Advanced panel materials and simplified details minimized maintenance requirements and retained strength/functionality under repeated fire seasons without deterioration witnessed on traditional combustible wood homes.

Energy Efficiency: Panel wall/roof assemblies consistently outperformed wood builds by 20-30% annual energy savings, reducing utility expenses and climate impact.

Resident Security: With reliable fire resilience verified, residents felt secure remaining home during evacuations rather than risking their lives to protect traditional wood builds vulnerable to ignition. Panels mitigated anxieties of wildfire vulnerability.

To further optimize designs for fire protection, future work could evaluate alternative exterior finishes, more extensive wildland zoning, and integrating renewable backup power for emergency refuge. Advanced construction is key for sustainable housing at the wildland boundary vulnerable to worsening fire behavior under climate change. Verified modular performance in high-risk environments helps guide safer developments in scenic yet fiery landscapes.

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