Building a Disaster Resilient Home
As the world reacts to a growing need for conscious design, Australian architecture is responding by democratising best practice applications and providing homeowners and builders with free disaster resilient house designs, aimed at helping every Australian build for a better future.
The initiative, launched by The Bushfire Building Council of Australia (BBCA) – a non-profit network of independent experts working to reduce the impacts of environmental disasters on communities - aims to arm those wanting to future proof their home with the skills and knowhow, as well as the architectural foundation, to ensure they are making responsible design decisions.
Developed in conjunction with NRMA Insurance and the Shoalhaven City Council, the FORTIS House project is an exhaustive resource created alongside leading disaster resilience experts as well as esteemed engineers and architects.
Included in the free handbooks are architectural drawings and specifications for FORTIS House – a climate-responsive design specifically created to withstand the country’s harshest elements and provide an opportunity for the community at large to build resilient homes that can stand up to bushfires, storms, heatwaves, floods, cyclones, mould and pests.
The FORTIS House project is a world-first community-led design process created in response to the devastating bushfires and floods that impacted the Shoalhaven community.
Formulated using prefabricated designs, FORTIS houses are an affordable, adaptable and fast-tracked solution to those looking to build from scratch or rebuild following an environmental disaster. Constructed in as little as 12-weeks, the homes are a masterclass in investing in community and the future of our country, with its focus on considered and conscious practice.
“Australia is exposed to increasing extreme weather and disasters, yet less than 10 per cent of our houses are resilient to local risk,” says Kate Cotter, Bushfire Building Council CEO. “FORTIS House aims to help address this by providing a new benchmark and practical support for resilient building based on scientific research, engineering first principles, community collaboration and practical advice from builders, the insurance industry and house manufacturers.”
The architectural drawings allow homeowners to build with peace of mind, knowing that their investment in climate-resilient, energy-efficient and robust construction follows absolute best-practice building methods that will last for generations.
“It’s incredible to be part of a project that empowers people to protect themselves against these climate and disaster risks and gives them practical solutions so they can build back easier, faster and stronger,” says Luke Gallagher, NRMA Insurance executive general manager. “We’re proud to have been working with the BBCA team over the last three years on projects like this to help communities better understand disaster risk and to help them reduce and mitigate that risk.”
Developed with the community, for the community, the innovative resources are designed to respond to real-life situations and needs, going beyond practicality to provide homeowners with a real sense of security and hope, an integral aspect not lost on BBCA’s Kate Cotter; “The Shoalhaven community has lived through the compounding trauma of bushfire, storms and floods, all in a matter of months over the summer of 2019-20. This experience and their desire to help everyone build stronger, safer, more sustainable houses has been really inspiring.
“There’s significant potential for other benefits too, with the FORTIS House benchmark providing a platform to enable insurers, lenders, governments and property markets to recognise and reward best-practice resilient houses.”
Building better has never been more important, and in a rapidly changing landscape, adaptable architecture is integral to safeguarding Australia’s communities. Utilising science, innovation and accessible information, FORTIS homes are an important step forward in providing all Australians with the much-needed tools to create for the future.
For more information and to download the free FORTIS House design and handbooks, click here.
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