Some parts of the world face natural disasters more frequently than others. Wildfires and tornadoes are among the biggest threats in the US, and cause thousands of people to lose their homes every year ... not to mention the insurance challenges homeowners have to deal with. There are modern fire-resistant materials and new stronger building methods, but they often only reduce damage and buy extra time rather than actually save the house.
Emergency warnings are usually sent out before disaster strikes, leaving people enough time to evacuate. Unfortunately, some homeowners choose to stay behind, hoping to save their belongings, and this remains one of the major causes of fatalities during natural disasters. But what if those homes and belongings could be saved with the press of a button? It sounds like sci-fi, but that’s actually the idea behind HiberTec Homes, a concept developed by a group of American engineers.
At first glance, there appears to be nothing unusual about the houses they build: they look just like any other modern minimalist home. But the key element – a protective vault – is hidden underground.
In an emergency, the house can be lowered into the vault using a hydraulic system. The descent can be activated remotely through a mobile app. After activation, utility lines automatically disconnect from electricity, water, and gas through patented mechanisms. During the descent, a fire-retardant spray system is deployed around the property for extra fire protection and, once the house is fully lowered, a ceiling securely seals the vault. The whole process takes 15 minutes.
Because the system is essentially gravity-based, the house can be lowered even without electricity, but there are also several backup options in case one of the mechanisms fails: primary electrical power, a lithium battery backup for emergency operation, and a manual lowering system using a basic winch and pulley.
HiberTec says the vault can withstand temperatures of up to 2000 °F (1090 °C) for days at a time. For comparison, modern fire-resistant materials can withstand fire exposure for a maximum of only about five hours.
While the system offers a solution for protecting homes, the vault cannot be used as a bunker, so residents should still evacuate immediately during wildfires or tornadoes.
For now, there are three home designs: a one-story model with three bedrooms and 3.5 bathrooms (1,600 square feet); a two-story home with four bedrooms and 4.5 bathrooms (2,500 square feet); and a luxury home with five bedrooms, a study, 5.5 bathrooms, and premium finishes (4,000 square feet). Construction is currently estimated to take about 18 months from start to finish.
As the company was founded in California and initially focused on building there, HiberTec homes are currently best suited for areas without high water tables, difficult soil composition, or challenging topography.
The only obvious downside, at least for now, is the price. Houses start at around US$1,200 per square foot, meaning that the smallest one-story home would cost close to $2 million. The final price can be even higher depending on excavation requirements and soil conditions.
The system cannot be integrated into existing homes, because all the necessary mechanical elements have to be engineered into the building during construction. There is some good news for owners of modular homes, though. According to HiberTec, many models from major US builders can be integrated into the system with minimal modifications.
In the future, the team hopes to make the homes more affordable by reducing the price to around $500 per square foot, while also adapting the system for more challenging construction sites.
And if you are looking for a way of protecting your existing home from wildfires, you might want to check out an eco-friendly fire-retardant gel that could be applied to structures, the Blaze Barrier fire-line-in-a-box, and the Safe Soss wildfire defense system.
Source: HiberTec Homes
