Clay Tyler in front of his new energy-efficient home that is being built with fire-proof materials including wall panels (at left) that are put in place and filled with rebar and concrete.

Clay Tyler recalls vividly the towering flames cresting the ridge above his Escondido home during the October 2007 wildfires shortly before they burned through his neighborhood. He and his family safely escaped, but his house and several others nearby were devastated.

Although it has been nearly two years since the fires destroyed more than 1,400 San Diego county homes, only about a quarter of them have been rebuilt and occupied. Protracted insurance settlements and the financial downturn have slowed rebuilding, but some residents, like Tyler and his son Wyatt, are turning misfortune into an opportunity. Their new 2,100-square-foot home, under construction east of Lake Hodges, incorporates the latest green-building technologies with energy-efficient systems, xeriscape landscaping and recycled and reused materials.

“Wyatt and I took the solar power and water heating workshops at CCSE and attended the fire rebuild events,” Tyler said. “This has been a real education for us to learn about green building. We’re outdoor types and into nature, so living more environmentally friendly is very attractive.”

Their residence includes fire-proof walls of recycled polystyrene and cement, a metal roof, solar power and water systems, soybean foam insulation, energy-efficient appliances and many other energy-saving upgrades. The builder is Todd Timmons of TPT Cal, Inc.

“Learning what we have, going from tragedy to an environmentally friendly home, I feel is building a legacy for my son,” Tyler said. “What we are doing may be somewhat exceptional today, but by doing this I hope we are part of the movement to make this type of construction the standard.”

The Tyler’s new home is slated for completion in August. Tyler estimates that it will cost him only about 10% more than standard, wood-frame construction. Photos of the construction can be viewed on the slideshow below.

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We are now preparing for our upcoming build San Diego event. It is our second annual event and we are excited. Build San Diego will be held April 4, 2009 at the California Center for Sustainable Energy. 8690 Balboa Avenue, Suite #100 San Diego, CA 92123. This expo also offers support for Fire Survivors.

The majority of fire survivors from the October 2007 fires have not started the rebuilding process. To assist in the progression they’ll be able to learn from local Fire Survivors who are in that rebuilding process right now. The expo includes a panel discussion with fire survivors sharing about the rebuilding green experience.

Exhibitors will also be there to share their products and services. See our list of Exhibitors.

We are looking forward to putting on a great event!

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Browse through the vast array of books, periodicals, and DVDs in the Energy Resource Library, or borrow reading and data-logging instruments designed to measure performance and savings opportunities in the Tool Lending Library.

Visit the California Center for Sustainable Energy for more information on the Solar Water Heating Pilot Program

In order to take advantage of this fee waiver, applicants and their LEED for Homes providers should work through the normal registration process via the USGBC website (http://www.usgbc.org/leed/homes). Upon submittal, the Provider should email USGBC at homes@usgbc.org to request the registration fee waiver for the project. A representative from USGBC will then confirm the registration fee waiver via email and, should the project ultimately move forward to certification, will ensure that the certification fee is also waived at the appropriate time.