FIRE REBUILD ENGINEERING
Structural assessments, resilient design, and full-scope support for homes recovering from catastrophic wildfires.
Nous Engineering is supporting more than 20 residential fire-rebuild projects across Altadena and the Pacific Palisades, helping families recover from the 2025 wildfires. Our team brings forward lessons from previous events including the 2017 Thomas Fire, 2018 Woolsey Fire, and other hillside recovery projects across Ventura and Los Angeles Counties. This history informs a more resilient, climate-adaptive approach to rebuilding in high-risk zones. Post-fire reconstruction involves navigating a complex mix of technical, regulatory, and community needs, including:
Post-fire permitting and CEQA pathways
Septic and seawall evaluation or replacement
Geologic and hillside stabilization requirements
Homeowner education around structural safety and resilience
Integration of new, fire-resilient building systems
Rapid timelines in the wake of community-wide disruption
Site Evaluations | Altadena & Pacific Palisades, CA
Nous completed dozens of post-fire structural assessments across both regions, conducting site walks with local architects and forensic specialists to document damage, evaluate safety and feasibility, and outline viable reconstruction pathways for each affected property.
INITIAL ASSESSMENTS + COMMUNITY RESPONSE
Nous supported community recovery efforts across Altadena and the Pacific Palisades by conducting initial structural assessments for dozens of post-fire properties, working alongside architects and forensic teams to document conditions and identify safe paths to rebuild. Through collaborative programs with Office of: Office, we provided early design guidance, permitting support, and homeowner education, helping residents navigate complex post-fire constraints and move toward resilient, long-term reconstruction.
Assessments with Office of: Office
In collaboration with Office of: Office, Nous participated in a community-driven assessment program offering homeowners early structural evaluations, along with optional pathways for collaborative design studies and permitting preparation led by emerging local architecture practices.
Compressed Earth Block Workshop
Nous provided structural guidance at a public workshop demonstrating the use of compressed earth block (CEB) as a fireproof, low-carbon, and code-permissible alternative to conventional construction.
DESIGN + ENGINEERING FOR REBUILD
Nous is providing full structural engineering services for 20+ active rebuilds, collaborating with architects such as LOHA, ORA, Ball-Nogues, Mutuo, Westside Build, Johnston Marklee, RADAR, June Street Architecture, Jacobschang Architecture, and Pooja Bhagat Architects & Planners. Typical Engineering Scope Includes:
Seawall and septic system restructuring or replacement
Capture and legalization of unpermitted square footage
CEQA review and permitting support
Designing within the post-fire +10% footprint allowance
Structural strategies for climate-adaptive materials and assemblies
Evaluation of nonstandard construction systems for fire resilience
These efforts help homeowners move quickly from assessment to permits to construction, reducing uncertainty and accelerating recovery.
Nous is providing full structural engineering services for 20+ active rebuilds. Top: Lorcan O’Herlihy Architects (LOHA), Bottom: Johnston Marklee
INNOVATION + RESILIENCE PLANNING
Nous supports forward-looking recovery efforts through resilience-focused design initiatives and innovative rebuild strategies. This includes engineering new low-carbon prototype homes as part of Case Study: Adapt, as well as relocating and retrofitting a 100-year-old house with Omgivning to replace a residence lost in the Eaton Canyon fire. These projects integrate seismic upgrades, fire-resilient assemblies, and site-specific adaptation to create safer, long-term housing solutions.
Case Study: Adapt | Altadena & Pacific Palisades
A coalition of ten Los Angeles architecture firms created Case Study: Adapt, a forward-looking model for resilient, low-carbon residential prototypes. Nous is engineering several of these homes, including a new project with Johnston Marklee.
Historic House Relocation Project | Altadena, CA
In partnership with Omgivning, Nous is helping relocate and retrofit a 100-year-old historic home to replace a residence lost in the Eaton Canyon fire.