Resources for Rebuilding after the Marshall Fire
This website provides information on building design and certification standards, energy efficiency, electric heating and vehicles, solar energy, fire resistant construction, as well as incentives, discounts, and financing. Most of the elements of a high-performance home are decided in the design stage as they all work together. It adds extra expense and time delays to incorporate them after the home is designed, so consider these elements and what level of home performance you want early in the process.
HOW TO USE THIS WEBSITE
While this website is designed for residents affected by the Marshall Fire, the information applies to anyone looking to build a home. The website is divided into chapters that track along with the home building process. Each chapter contains an overview of the topic and additional resources.
Building a healthy home
Whether it’s choosing the layout of the home, materials, or appliances, design and construction play a critical role in ensuring a healthy and comfortable home.
Chapter 1Building a resilient home
Research around home destruction vs. home survival in wild fires points to embers and small flames as the leading cause of ignition in wildfires.
Chapter 2Rebates & incentives
Round up of rebates, discounts, and incentives for households rebuilding after the Marshall Fire. The list is constantly changing and we’ll work to update this website accordingly.
Chapter 3Finding your team
Architects, builders, energy raters, and subcontractors all play a critical role in the design and construction of your high-performance home. You are the most important team member.
Chapter 4Material & Equipment
The material and equipment choices you make both inside and outside your home will have a direct impact on the energy efficiency, health, comfort, and resilience of your home.
Chapter 5Landscaping & Outdoor
Outdoor spaces play a significant role in how resilient your home is to future climate disasters. Learn about the three landscaping zones you need to consider to design a fire resistant space.
Chapter 6Resilient Rebuilds
Many homeowners affected by the Marshall Fire are in the process of rebuilding their homes and other structures that were lost in the fire. These videos are intended to serve as inspiration and a source of information for those who are considering electrification as part of their rebuilding efforts. The speakers are Boulder County residents who, though not directly impacted by the Fire, have made the choice to add electrified elements to their homes and feel passionately about sharing the benefits they’ve experienced with others who are considering doing the same.
Check out their stories below!
Sue Anderson, Unincorporated Boulder County
Sue and her wife have spent decades electrifying elements of their home – from the heat pump to the induction stove – supplementing with solar energy along the way. Rising temperatures due to climate change were a major motivator for Sue as she worked to electrify her home. And while there is initial expense associated with electrification, the short and long-term benefits like lower heating and cooling costs and increased energy efficiency earn Sue’s “1000% endorsement.”
Emily Jacobsen, Longmont
When Emily’s furnace died last winter, she was excited to replace it with an air-source heat pump, adding another electrified appliance to their home in addition to the solar panels that they’d installed on the roof. Emily believes that our reliance on fossil fuels isn’t sustainable and that we have the technology right now to move away from them. With the resources and subsidies available to homeowners, she says that electrification “is for everyone.”
Robert Stevens, superior
For the health of his family and the planet, Robert has set out to electrify various elements of his home – from replacing a gas stove and oven to electric induction, to installing an electric hot water heater and creating infrastructure to charge electric vehicles at home. As a result, he’s been able to reduce the number of bills he pays each month and see an overall reduction in cost. Even though the steps feel relatively small, they add up over time – community investment in electrification matters in the fight against climate change.
Additional Resources
If you are looking for other resources and information about rebuilding from the Marshall Fire, please visit the county and municipal Marshall Fire pages:
Boulder County Learn more
Louisville Learn more
Superior Learn more
