In response to the historic wildfires that devastated Los Angeles in January 2025, global sustainable development consulting firm Arup has partnered with the United States Green Building Council California (USGBC-CA) to co-author the “California Wildfire Rebuilding Guide.”
The guide provides practical steps to help homeowners, designers, contractors, and community leaders rebuild wildfire-affected neighborhoods with resilience, sustainability, and safety at the forefront. By focusing on climate resilience and long-term community wellbeing, it offers invaluable tools for rebuilding stronger, smarter, and more sustainable communities.
The guide provides a comprehensive overview that outlines key concepts, major decisions, and instructions so that it is accessible and digestible for a general audience. It also provides a variety of decision-making categories, including placement, envelope design, outdoors, building systems, green innovation and community.
Co-authored by Arup and the U.S. Green Building Council California, the new California Wildfire Rebuilding Guide offers practical and sustainable solutions to help wildfire-affected communities rebuild with resilience, safety, and long-term climate considerations
“We work around disasters all the time, but these fires were personal for us. So many of our friends and colleagues were impacted directly,” says Heather Rosenberg, Americas Resilience Skills Leader. “We’ve heard from so many people who lost their homes that they don’t know where to start or what decisions really matter. This guide is designed to be a resource for people who want to have safer and healthier buildings and lower the risk that they will burn again in the future.”
More than just a wildfire
While Southern California is prone to wildfire, that isn’t the only threat residents face. Given this, the guide adopts an integrated approach that considers resilience in the context of other hazards like earthquakes and extreme heat.
Similarly, the guide takes a community-focused lens, exploring how we can enhance our infrastructure and strengthen our connectivity to each other and the environment through thoughtful and holistic building practices.
“We’ve all been deeply affected, and building back better requires us to consider entire communities,” says Ben Stapleton, USGBC-CA Executive Director. “This guide–with easy-to-follow steps and choices to consider–focuses on rebuilding in a way that prepares for the multiple hazards faced by those of us in California and beyond, highlighting resiliency and sustainability opportunities and co-benefits while making minimizing costs a priority. We are here as an ongoing resource for all.”
As the world continues to evolve, Arup and USGBC-CA are developing an update to these guidelines, which is anticipated to come out in summer 2025. The next iteration will provide more actionable resources, including incentive and rebate updates, detailed municipal guidance, design considerations around prefabrication and assembly, as well as access to a clickable materials marketplace.
