bending the arc of the
housing industry towards
climate resilience

We envision a world where people are informed and inspired to take action to protect themselves from climate change.
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Our Story
For decades, David traveled to over 150 cities pursuing ventures in technology, finance, and construction, while his wife competed in horse shows. Hawaii had always been their envisioned final destination, not only for its natural beauty but also for its unique culture and deep connection to the land.
Their decision to settle in Hawaii was driven by more than just the scenic landscapes—it was the people and their long-standing tradition of caring for the planet that truly resonated with them. With David’s background as a designer and contractor, they set out to build a home on a piece of land carved into the side of an active volcano in the heart of the Pacific Ocean.
Determined to push the boundaries of traditional construction, David sought to address the stagnation in American building practices, which had seen little advancement in the past 75 years, as well as the growing threat of climate change. Alongside a skilled team of architects, designers, engineers, and material scientists, he developed new construction technology to create a home that was not only cost-effective but also wildfire-resistant, capable of withstanding extreme winds, and entirely water-independent.
In 2020, their first home using these techniques was completed, performing exactly as intended. However, shortly after, his wife was diagnosed with a rare and debilitating illness. During this challenging time, she proposed the idea of creating something lasting that would give back to Hawaii.
Recognizing the severity of the affordable housing crisis in the region—where homeownership remains out of reach for many families—they established the Paulele Hale Association, a 501C3 nonprofit dedicated to housing technology, climate education, and action. The organization’s mission is to develop climate-resilient housing, build sustainable communities, and provide practical tools to help individuals protect themselves and their families against the increasingly extreme weather patterns of the future.

Our Mission

David Gilliland
Our Founder
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David Gilliland
Founder & Imagineer
Between Tennessee, California, and over a hundred other cities in the early 70s, David designed and built lighting systems and special effects for major music artists, blending visual art with marketing strategies. He developed a broad technical skill set and consulting resources, designing animated set pieces, laser effects, pyrotechnics, and props.
By the 1980s, he leveraged this expertise into technology, consulting, and investing in the nascent personal computer industry in Northern California. His ventures included the first spelling checker software, one of the first multimedia platforms, and optical disk multi-media storage systems, co-patenting high-power fiber optic light gate technology.
In the 1990s, he moved to London to develop large-scale structured finance projects, overseeing private wealth participants across four continents. Returning to Key West later that decade, he worked alongside Mel Fisher’s organization recovering artifacts from the Nuestra Señora de Atocha that sank off the Florida coast in a hurricane. During this time he endured three giving him personal exposure to extreme weather.
In 2003, back in Tennessee, David became a licensed general contractor specializing in historical restorations and upscale renovations, including repurposing buildings into commercial retail and office space, constructing multi-family homes, and launching a high-end retail showroom for kitchen and bath remodeling.
Relocating in 2018, he shifted to developing climate-resilient construction technologies in Hawaii with his Ex Machina Group, focusing on advising and remediating at-risk coastal properties and developing climate-resilient construction technologies to protect homes against wildfire, wind, and drought and building affordable, sustainable communities.
By 2022, in collaboration with IBM’s Watson artificial intelligence, Climate Intelligence Group and a dozen other technological partners, David created an AI-driven system to evaluate climate risks and recommend mitigation strategies. Capable of performing a remote visual survey of a home then evaluate its climate risks, his Future Proof technology can recommend proactive steps the homeowner can take to mitigate the impact of our increasingly extreme weather. Consolidated in the Future Proof interactive online educational system a homeowner can simulate the impact of extreme weather on their property and tour their neighborhood through a 150-year journey of climate’s past, present and future.
David’s career and the creative collaboration he has assembled demonstrate a a significant shift from pioneering entertainment technology to advocating for climate- sustainable development and the remediation of our existing housing, impacting diverse industries and communities.
Our Directors

Pualilia Paikuli
Affairs

Dawn Sena M.A.R.(S)

Jessie Torrisi
