Climate Resilience
Traditional building methods are no longer sufficient in today’s volatile and changing climate. Magnesium cement technology offers a stronger, more sustainable solution.
The Most Sustainable Building Is the One You Don’t Need to Rebuild
The construction industry is currently at a crossroads due to the undeniable impacts of a changing climate. The consequences, ranging from more frequent and severe weather events to extreme temperatures, necessitate an urgent shift in construction practices and building materials. Communities deserve construction solutions that are both affordable to build and affordable to live in.
Amid a housing crisis, it’s essential that new homes are built to withstand the elements, including wind, water, fire, and heat. This approach is both ethical and economical. Homes that require frequent repairs or rebuilding after predictable disasters are ultimately the most costly. By focusing on resilience, we can ensure that homes are safe, secure, and economically viable long-term.
Climate resilience is about enabling communities and structures to anticipate, recover from, and adapt to adverse climate impacts. This imperative underscores the urgent need for the construction industry to transition from traditional, unsustainable methods to practices that ensure long-term sustainability and responsibility.
The Cost of Traditional Construction
$40 billion USD in insured wildfire losses in 2025
14% annual growth in North American wildfire insured losses
300% increase in flood and water insured losses over the past 20 years
1 in 67 insured homes files a water damage claim every year
In 2025, wildfires destroyed a staggering 18,385 structures in the US, making it the costliest year on record for insured wildfire losses. In Canada, 39% of insured catastrophe losses now come from flood and water. As extreme weather events become increasingly frequent, experts project global construction output will grow 85% by 2030, making a resilient approach to building more urgent than ever.
The growing severity and frequency of extreme weather, paired with this surge in construction, demands a global shift in how we build. Traditional construction methods, reliant on vulnerable materials, plagued by extended timelines, skilled labor shortages, and quality issues, can no longer keep pace with these challenges.
We’re here to change that.
44 million (32%) homes in the US now sit in the wildland-urban interface
According to the National Interagency Fire Center in the US, the scope and severity of wildfires have steadily increased over the last 20 years. In 2025, wildfires destroyed 12,773 homes in the US alone. Additionally, the population in high-risk US wildfire zones has grown at three times the rate of the country as a whole since 1975. Between 1990 and 2020, the wildland-urban interface grew by 47% nationally, with 1 in 3 Californians now living in it.
Why material choices matter in a wildfire
- Fuel: Combustible materials can contribute to fire growth. Non-combustible materials do not.
- Flame spread: Exterior walls, roofs, and cladding can influence how quickly fire moves across a building.
- Heat transfer: Tested assemblies can help slow the transfer of heat to and damage of structural components.
- Smoke: Materials can influence the amount and type of smoke released during a fire.
- Time: Slowing the progression of fire can give occupants more time to evacuate and first responders more time to act.
Nothing is fireproof, but the materials specified today can influence how a building responds to a wildfire. As a non-combustible material, magnesium oxide (MgO) cement does not add fuel to the fire and can form part of tested, fire-resistant building assemblies.
99% of US counties have experienced a flood event since 1996
The World Health Organization (WHO) cites floods as the most frequent natural disaster worldwide. Floods and water now account for 39% of Canada’s insured catastrophe losses. In the US, one inch of water results in an average of $25,000 in damage. With rapid snowmelt and increasingly heavy rainfall and tropical storm systems, building structures that remain standing when floodwaters recede is critical.
Why material choices matter in a flood
- Water resistance: Materials that absorb water require costly removal and replacement.
- Strength retention: Materials that weaken when exposed to water compromise structural integrity.
- Fungal growth: When wet, many materials are susceptible to mold, mildew, and rot.
We can’t stop flooding, but we can help make the remediation process faster and less costly. MgO cement can be submerged in water and retain full structural integrity once dry. Our cement surfaces are resistant to mold and prevent soggy drywall and insulation from needing to be removed.
Rural communities face greater risks to health, safety, and well-being from the decline or failure of critical infrastructure.
Compared to urban dwellers, rural Canadians are more vulnerable to climate change in many ways, according to a 2023 federal government report. In the North, flooding and permafrost thaw are already washing out roads and causing damage that offers a preview of what any structure, not just infrastructure, faces as extreme precipitation becomes more common. At the same time, many remote communities still rely on costly diesel generation for electricity, making energy efficiency less of a comfort upgrade and more of a financial necessity.
Why material choices matter in extreme environments
- Wildfire: Building with non-combustible materials does not contribute to fire growth, flame spread, or heat transfer, slowing the progression of fire compared to traditional materials.
- Flooding: Water- and mold-resistant materials help buildings withstand flooding; certain materials even enhance strength when wet.
- Insulation: The right cladding can improve energy efficiency by reducing thermal bridging and increasing the building’s R-value.
A building envelope engineered with MgO cement keeps heat in and moisture out, reducing dependence on expensive power while also standing up to the water exposure these communities increasingly face.
In 2024, Hurricane Helene and Hurricane Milton alone caused an estimated $50 billion in insured losses.
Most hurricane losses don’t come from buildings collapsing; they come from the envelope failing. Damage begins when wind breaches the envelope; the torn-off pieces become debris that punctures the next building, and each breach creates more debris and more damage. Then comes the water: once rain gets inside, the loss shifts to contents, framing, and eventually mold.
Why material choices matter for tropical storms
- Wind resistance: 90% of existing low-rise residential buildings are constructed as light-frame wood buildings, which are more vulnerable to extreme wind pressures than fully engineered buildings.
- Insulation: The right cladding can improve energy efficiency by reducing thermal bridging and increasing the building’s R-value.
- Water resistance: Materials that absorb water require costly removal and replacement.
- Strength retention: Materials that weaken following exposure to water compromise structural integrity.
The survival of a structure in hurricane-force winds is contingent on the durability of its materials. MgO cement technology is engineered for structural stability, helping buildings withstand hurricanes and tropical storms. Panels are insulated to minimize thermal bridging and maintain airtightness, while the cement sheathing keeps assemblies intact and resilient through extreme climate conditions.
Engineered Strength, Verified by Science.
Whether it’s high winds, wildfire, or heavy snow loads, a changing climate is putting new strain on buildings. That’s where pre-manufactured building systems show their strength. Built in our highly controlled manufacturing facility, every TechPanel delivers consistent quality and durability. Rigorous third-party testing has confirmed superior strength across the board for our wall systems, including freeze-thaw, compression indentation, shear bond, impact resistance, compressive load, transverse load, and racking load.
Together, our products reinforce buildings against wind, fire, and flooding with materials strong enough to withstand modern weather and climate conditions.
Building for Tomorrow with
Magnesium Cement Technology
Discover how our patented MgO technology creates lightweight, climate-resilient, low-carbon materials, without the high cost or performance trade-offs.