Climate & Energy Resilience
Our projects build upon California’s progressive energy codes to ensure safe and comfortable occupancy during extreme weather events, power grid disruptions, and air quality challenges. We integrate thermal and electrical storage systems, enabling homes to harmonize with both current and future energy networks, from large-scale utility grids to local micro-grids.
Most of our homes include battery systems that connect to the grid, as well as grid-responsive storage technologies such as smart water heaters. Off-grid capability is often achieved through solar electricity generation and thermal storage, providing continuous operation for essential systems like lighting, communication, hot water, and air filtration.
We also plan for the future by thoughtfully locating access panels and service equipment for easy maintenance and replacement, ensuring the home’s systems remain resilient for decades to come.
Water Conservation & Resource Resilience
California’s variable climate demands foresight in water management and drought resilience. Many of our projects include backup potable water storage, rainwater harvesting, and greywater recycling systems for landscape irrigation. Our drought-tolerant landscapes often include edible gardens, reinforcing a self-sufficient and sustainable approach to design.
In regions prone to flooding, a rising threat in the San Francisco Bay Area, we anticipate and mitigate risks by elevating structures and planning for water flow, ensuring that our homes remain secure even in changing floodplain conditions.
Material Durability & Longevity
At FGA, durability and beauty go hand in hand. We educate our clients on material care and maintenance to extend the lifespan of every surface and system. Many of our projects use long-lasting exterior materials such as standing-seam metal, clay tile, stucco, and masonry, finishes that endure for generations without replacement.
Weather resistance is enhanced through both design and detailing—broad roof overhangs, stainless steel flashing, and galvanized metal hardware–all contributing to the home’s enduring performance.
Prepared for California’s Natural Forces
As a California residential architecture firm, we design every home with earthquake and wildfire resilience in mind. Located near the San Andreas Fault, our projects feature robust structural engineering to ensure seismic safety. To address wildfire risk, we specify non-combustible materials—such as stone, concrete, and metal—alongside tempered glass and defensible landscape strategies that protect both the home and its occupants.
Long-Term Adaptability
True resilience extends beyond environmental performance, it includes the home’s ability to evolve with its occupants. We design with a 35- to 50-year time horizon, anticipating how families’ needs change over time. From the expanding social spaces of growing children to accessibility considerations for aging in place, our floor plans are rooted in how people truly live.
We also design for personal security and safety, integrating discreet protective systems in collaboration with expert consultants when needed.
Proven Endurance
Over more than 30 years, FGA has designed over 130 custom homes throughout California. Remarkably, fewer than five clients have ever moved out of their FGA-designed residences, and only a handful have made minor modifications. This enduring satisfaction underscores our core belief that beautiful, carefully detailed, and forward-thinking architecture is the foundation of true resilience.
