Good planning is important for building in a bushfire area.
The Dean of UNSW Built Environment, Professor Helen Lochhead says that it is possibly to rebuild in bushfire affected areas providing they are well located and designed to standard AS3959.
More than 800 homes were lost in recent bushfires on the NSW south coast and urban planners and architects have warned that not everywhere may be suitable for reconstruction doe to elevated risk in a changing climate.
Helen says: “In the majority of cases, we can design much better, more fire resistant, more sustainable and climate responsive houses, than what we are doing today.”
She agrees that there will be some locations where rebuilding will not be an option, such as remote locations with one road in and surrounded by bush.
“On the other hand, more effective solutions may require people working together. If you’re part of a settlement that was affected, communities can and should be part of the future planning and decision-making process so investment and reconstruction benefits the broader community. For example, it may be possible to build back safer more community infrastructure and put in fire breaks in public spaces to protect housing against future fire travel in the future.”
She says anyone planning to rebuild should include a range of considerations such as: an adequate clearing around the house, self-cleaning gutters, and fire resistant decking on verandas. The underside of buildings should be enclosed so embers don’t get trapped underneath the floor, and in more isolated areas there should ideally be adequate stored water, whether tanks, pools, ponds or dams, to fight fires if they do occur.
She says: “[Other considerations include:] using fire resistant materials. Non-flammable materials such as masonry, brickwork or rammed earth, and concrete as opposed to timber. This doesn’t mean you can’t use timber, but you might use it on the inside rather than the outside of buildings in these of locations.”
She says these designs are more sustainable and cost effective in the long term.
“We’re not promoting buildings that are beyond the reach of the average person. We’re just talking about designing sensibly, sustainably and for the long term, acknowledging the climate and environment which we live in.”
Helen is also president of the Australian Institute of Architects which has provided free access to its acumen practice notes and is also providing pro bono architectural services for bushfire affected homeowners.
