Building Tech CEO Criticizes Los Angeles Rebuilding Efforts After 2025 Wildfires
The chief executive of building technology firm RSG-3D is warning that California homebuilders are designing in the next disaster by returning to traditional wood framing. As Realtor.com reports, Ken Calligar argues that 99 percent of the communities devastated by the 2025 Palisades and Altadena wildfires are rebuilding with flammable materials despite the availability of resilient alternatives.
Context from Industry Pulse
The persistence of wood-frame construction in high-risk zones comes as the frequency of natural disasters in the United States has surged from an average of four per year in the 1980s to 23 per year in the current decade. Realtor.com research suggests that homeowners are already facing the consequences of this trend through rising insurance premiums, elevated mortgage delinquency rates, and a growing inability to secure coverage at all. While California faces additional long-term threats such as the potential loss of 75 percent of its beaches by 2100, the immediate pressure to rebuild in scenic but vulnerable areas continues to outweigh the adoption of disaster-resilient building technologies.
According to reporting from Realtor.com, the reconstruction efforts following the catastrophic 2025 wildfires in Los Angeles County have sparked a debate over modern building standards. Ken Calligar, the founder of RSG-3D, suggests that the region is missing a critical opportunity to move away from vulnerable construction methods. He notes that many replacement homes are being built larger and in closer proximity to one another, which potentially increases the speed at which future fires could spread through neighborhoods.
Data from Realtor.com indicates that climate risks are becoming a massive financial burden on the American housing market. Approximately 23 percent of homes across the country face severe threats from wind, fire, or flooding, representing over 11 trillion dollars in exposure. Despite these figures, buyer behavior often remains unchanged. Following the Los Angeles fires, interest in high-risk properties dipped briefly but returned to normal levels within a single month as consumers prioritized views and locations over safety concerns.
Calligar’s firm advocates for a framing system composed of steel wire and expanded polystyrene encased in concrete. This technology is designed to withstand natural disasters including earthquakes and hurricanes in addition to fire. While some builders argue that such resilient materials make housing unaffordable, Calligar disputes this claim and maintains that traditional wood construction has actually seen a decline in quality and worker productivity over several decades.
High-profile projects are beginning to utilize these alternative methods to prevent future losses. Realtor.com highlights the rebuilding of actress Zooey Deschanel’s childhood home in Pacific Palisades as a primary example. Led by Jonathan Scott, the project aims to replicate the original Spanish Revival aesthetic while using concrete-skinned steel panels to ensure the structure is better protected against the environmental hazards common to Southern California.
The Industry Pulse Bottom Line
The tension between traditional building costs and long-term climate resilience remains a major hurdle for the real estate industry, even as rising insurance costs and recurring disasters threaten the viability of high-risk coastal and mountain markets.