Global sustainable development consulting firm Arup has partnered with the U.S. Green Building Council California (USGBC-CA) to launch the California Wildfire Rebuilding Guide, a new resource designed to help communities rebuild safely and sustainably after wildfire events.
Developed in response to the January 2025 wildfires in Los Angeles, the guide offers clear, practical guidance for homeowners, designers, contractors, and community leaders navigating the rebuilding process. It emphasizes resilience, sustainability, and long-term climate considerations to support stronger, more future-ready communities.
Organized for easy use by a general audience, the guide breaks down key decisions and building strategies across several categories, including site placement, building envelope, outdoor space, systems, innovation, and community-wide planning.
“We work around disasters all the time, but these fires were personal for us,” says Heather Rosenberg, Americas Resilience Skills Leader at Arup. “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.”
Recognizing that wildfires aren’t the only hazard facing California, the guide also addresses related risks such as earthquakes and extreme heat. It takes a community-based approach, encouraging integrated solutions that strengthen both infrastructure and social connections.
“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.”
An updated version of the guide is planned for release in summer 2025. It will expand on current content with additional resources, including updated rebates and incentives, municipal guidance, prefabrication strategies, and a clickable materials marketplace.
