Dr. Matt Wheelwright explains the cost-safety dilemma of natural disaster prevention.
How much safety are you willing to compromise for a lower cost?
In the year 2025, we are blessed with more strategies than ever before to protect against the damages of natural disasters. This is something that comes to mind with the recent fires devastating southern California, where the Palisades and Eaton fires alone have displaced an estimated 100,000 residents as of the writing of this article.
Construction Management faculty Dr. Matthew Wheelwright has experience building homes in California and has a passion for safety in urban design and real estate.
"Any good contractor could build a house, a building, an office space, whatever, to never fall in any earthquake, to never burn in any fire...But to do that costs more," said Wheelwright.
Dr. Wheelwright explained that contractors are trying to follow a myriad of conditions from the city, the homeowner, the law, and other involved parties. They also have a certain budget that the owner wants to maintain. Therefore, some regulations and protective designs are prioritized over others.
Let's take Provo, Utah here as an example. In addition to city building codes, Provo City's website lists Development Services, Provo City Power, Public Works Department, and the Fire Department for involved parties. Other factors to include are insurance companies, location, customer preferences, and overall cost. With all of these conditions in mind, the contractor must also consider the risks of the location.
According to FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency), Provo's biggest natural disaster risks are wildfires, landslides, winter weather, and earthquakes. With a limited budget, the contractor and homeowner must choose what protections they feel are necessary. For one homeowner, they might take the time to ensure their roof is better suited for winter conditions such as hail, ice storms, and avalanches. For another homeowner, they might prioritze building materials that can last against a wildfire.
In the case of southern California, the area is at a high risk for wildfires; however, Dr. Wheelwright says, residents most likely weren't expecting a situation of this caliber. In such a high risk area, insurance companies have concerns about the cost of too many homes burning all at once and have removed wildfires from their coverage; a similar situation occurred in states severely affected by the recent hurricanes.
Wheelwright listed three common issues with properties that make them more susceptible to damage. He explained that on more luxury homes, the owner may want air vents under the eaves to cool down the attic and roof in the summer; this also gives nearby fires VIP access to the interior of the home. The home can have these vents as long as proper fire-blocking measures are in place as well. The second issue is planting trees close to the house—the fire can more easily jump from tree to home. This turns into a larger issue when homes are built close to one another with trees in close proximity.
The third issue is safety measures regarding roofing materials. If the home has wood shingles it will burn easier, but this can be combatted with expensive sprinkler systems on the roof. If the home has a clay S-tile design there are many more air openings to seal. While it would be preferred to account for every danger and build accordingly, the costs start to pile up.
"But again, it's [like] what's the likelihood? How confident are you that this is going to happen?" Wheelwright asked.
There are a plethora of factors to consider in building a home. The question is, how much are you willing to risk for a lower cost?
Ultimately there is no one factor to blame in a catastrophic event like the southern California fires, and, unfortunately, most homeowners in vulnerable areas do not have the means to completely fire-proof their home.
There are some things a homeowner can do to increase fire safety for their household. FEMA has a list of actions a homeowner can take to protect against wildfires here. The melding of school and religion at BYU adds a special touch to the Construction Management program—they are taught that every soul is of great worth in the eyes of God. Every soul deserves the feeling of being safe in their home, and BYU's Construction Management program is well-prepared to help homeowners understand and prioritize decisions in the building process.