Airtight construction, high-performance windows and filtered ventilation help reduce smoke infiltration and maintain indoor air quality when outdoor conditions turn hazardous
CHICAGO, Aug. 24, 2026 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Wildfire seasons across the U.S. are lengthening and intensifying, according to a Climate Central analysis of 51 years of weather data, with some areas in the Southwest now experiencing up to two additional months of fire weather compared to 50 years ago. With wildfire smoke affecting areas across the U.S. and Canada and the U.S. currently at National Preparedness Level 5, the highest level possible, Phius, the non-profit certifying the majority of passive building projects in North America, is highlighting how passive building strategies can help people navigate this new normal by creating healthier, more comfortable indoor environments.
"Passive building provides communities with a proven way to improve indoor environmental quality and resilience as climate conditions continue to change," said Lisa White, Co-Executive Director of Phius. "Through optimized envelopes, efficient ventilation systems and climate-specific design, passive buildings help maintain healthier indoor environments during wildfire smoke events, extreme heat and power outages. These strategies work alongside broader wildfire preparedness efforts, including evacuation planning and site-specific fire mitigation."
For those facing prolonged smoke, heat and power disruptions, the effects can continue long after the immediate threat of fire has passed. Passive building strategies provide a practical approach to maintaining healthier indoor conditions through airtight construction, high-performance windows, optimized envelopes and balanced ventilation with filtration.
After the 2017 Tubbs Fire destroyed their Santa Rosa, California, neighborhood, one family chose to rebuild to Phius passive building standards. The result, Fountaingrove Passive House, demonstrates that high-performance, resilient design can be both practical and attainable. Fountaingrove Passive House and a Phius-Certified project in Washington state show how passive building is being applied in regions facing wildfire risk.
For builders, passive building strategies can support homes that maintain occupant comfort and healthier indoor conditions during smoke events and outages. For architects, these strategies bring resilience, indoor air quality and energy performance together in building design. For developers, high-performance housing can support healthier indoor environments, energy efficiency and climate resilience in regions affected by wildfire risk.
Passive building is not a substitute for wildfire mitigation, evacuation planning or other fire-safety measures, and no passive building is fireproof. However, several passive building features can contribute to resilience during wildfire events. Airtight construction can limit smoke and ember infiltration, high-performance windows and doors can offer improved thermal performance, and filtered ventilation can help maintain indoor air quality when outdoor conditions become hazardous.
Phius' climate-specific passive building standards establish tailored performance targets across 24 ASHRAE climate zones in North America, allowing project teams to address regional challenges including wildfire smoke, extreme heat, humidity, cold and grid instability while reducing energy demand.
Phius recently hosted Passive Buildings and Wildfires: Living Through, Living With, Living Well, featuring architect Graham Irwin of Essential Habitat Architecture. The webinar explores how passive building strategies can support healthier indoor environments and resilience during wildfire smoke events, extreme heat and power outages. Watch the webinar HERE.
Visit www.Phius.org for more information. You can find project images HERE.
About Phius
Phius is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization committed to decarbonizing the built environment by making high-performance passive building the mainstream market standard. We train and certify professionals, maintain and update the Phius climate-specific passive building standard, certify and quality assure passive buildings, certify high-performance building products, and conduct research to advance high-performance building.
Media Contact
Jennifer Karkar Ritchie, Phius, 1 206-344-3444, [email protected], www.phius.org
SOURCE Phius
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