1. A warning arrives
A wildfire or severe-weather warning is the signal to act. During everyday use, the home sits at ground level above its reinforced underground vault.
How HiberTec Works
HiberTec brings three systems together: hydraulics to move the home, a protective cover to seal its vault and utility connections that move with it.
Families evacuate early. Nobody rides the home underground.
2. Activate remotely through the app
The smartphone app can trigger the system remotely, even when the homeowner is away from the property.
3. The home lowers in about 15 minutes
The hydraulic system lowers the home and its supporting platform into the vault. The transition takes about 15 minutes.
4. The protective cover seals
As the home descends, a fire-retardant system operates and the protective ceiling cover deploys. The cover seals the opening to keep embers out.
5. Utility connections move with the home
Water, power, gas, sewer and data connections stay attached. The system telescopes: the connections extend and retract as the building travels.
6. Families evacuate
The vault protects the building and its contents. Residents leave the area early rather than staying to defend the property or waiting for the transition to finish.
7. The home rises after the threat
Once the danger has passed and residents can safely return, the home can rise back to ground level. The lifting system and utility connections accommodate the movement back up.
The engineering behind the sequence
Three issued U.S. utility patents cover building movement, the protective cover and utility-connection management.
