Massachusetts architect designs "totally fireproof" modular house
BOSTON - As wildfires burn out of control in California destroying thousands of homes and businesses, architect Gary Hendren and his team are busy at work at his office in Allston. "This is a very efficient way to make a fire-resistant house," he said.
SAM House
For the past three and half years he's been designing a Sustainable Alternative Modular House, better known as the SAM House. He says it's a climate responsive house made up of non-organic materials.
"The wall panels themself and the roof panels are all made of the exact same material. It is a concrete, non-flammable waterproof material. Not regular concrete. This is 12,000 psi concrete very dense, which is what makes it totally fireproof," he said.
The prototype is on display in Sacramento, California.
"We are really calling SAM House a disaster replacement house. It's not only just the exterior skin of the building. It's every material in the building, does not have any flame spread," he said.
Able to sustain winds up to 200 mph
Hendren says everything is made in the factory, comes in panels and bolts together and does not require public utilities. It is designed to sustain winds up to 200 mph.
"It has a cistern system for collecting water, has composting toilets, solar panels and it has a wind turbine," Hendren said.
Gary has been designing and building and homes for the past 40 years. He says he was inspired to design SAM House after Hurricane Dorian wreaked havoc in the Bahamas. "I wanted to build a house for the workers that they could afford to build. Sustainable and also survive hurricane force winds," he said.
He says the price range will vary depending on the size from $400,000 to $1 million. As his heart breaks for the families in the California wildfires, he looks at the SAM House as a response to climate change.
"When fire comes through the neighborhood. The house when you come back, your house is still there. This allows people to live where they want to live and gives them a solution to a real problem and we are trying to make it as economic as possible," he said.
He says SAM House will be available for people to buy in as early as three months. And he says it's designed to last for about 200 years.
