Australia’s bushfire seasons have been growing fiercer in recent years, and if you’re planning to build a new home, designing with bushfire resilience in mind can protect your property, your loved ones, and give you peace of mind. But how can you make sure your home is as bushfire-proof as possible? And are there any specific guidelines to follow? Let’s explore these together and look at how thoughtful design and smart choices can make all the difference to homes in bushfire-prone areas.
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Understanding Bushfire Attack Mechanisms and Risk Factors
The first thing you need to understand when you’re building a home in a bushfire-prone area is how bushfires actually behave. Fires don’t just move through towering flames – they spread through ember attack, radiant heat, and direct flame contact. Embers are particularly dangerous as they can travel several kilometres ahead of the fire front and ignite debris or gaps in building elements like roofs, walls, or gutters. Radiant heat, on the other hand, can cause materials to burn without flames even touching them.
To determine your property’s risk, you’ll need a Bushfire Attack Level (BAL) assessment. This classification evaluates your home’s exposure to fire hazards, ranging from BAL-LOW (Very Low Risk) to BAL-FZ (Extreme Risk), which requires the highest level of protection possible. The relevant BAL ratings are:
- Bal LOW: Very Low Risk
- BAL 12.5: Low Risk
- BAL – 19: Moderate Risk
- BAL 29: High Risk
- BAL 40: Very High Risk
- BAL FZ: Extreme Risk
Once you know what your rating is, you can tailor your construction requirements under the Australian Standards for bushfire-prone areas.
Meeting Bushfire Construction Standards
As you might imagine, given the above, you need to adhere to strict guidelines under the National Construction Code and Australian Standards (AS3959) when building in bushfire-prone areas, and these regulations outline construction requirements on BAL levels to make sure homes can withstand the harshest fire conditions. While it may seem like another process to have to follow when building a home, complying with these regulations isn’t just about ticking boxes; it’s about making sure you and your family are safe.
Choosing the Right Building Materials
One of the most important things you can do when building a home in a bushfire-prone area is to think about what materials are going to give you and your property the best protection. Here’s some information on things to consider:
Walls and External Cladding
The wall system you choose should act as a barrier against heat and flames. Brick veneer and concrete walls are excellent options for this, as they’re both durable and fire-resistant. Also, if your walls have timber elements, make sure you treat them with a fire retardant to reduce flammability.
Roofing
A roof is one of the most vulnerable building elements during a bushfire, so you’ll want to make sure you choose non-combustible materials like metal or terracotta. It’s also extremely important to make sure that all gaps are sealed, as this will prevent embers from lodging under the roof or igniting debris in the gutters.
Windows, Doors, and Other Openings
All windows and doors should be made from toughened glass and metal frames that can withstand radiant heat and flame contact. Use metal mesh screens on vents and consider external shutters for added bushfire protection, both of which will protect other parts of your home by reducing potential entry points for embers.
Smart Design Choices to Mitigate Bushfire Risks
The materials you choose are just one half of the battle against bushfires and ember attack, and smart choices in the planning and design phases of your home build can also reduce the risk to your home. Here are some ways you can make design decisions that protect your home while keeping it functional and stylish.
Simplify the Design
Homes with complex designs featuring multiple rooflines, overhangs, and re-entrant corners are more prone to collecting embers and debris, and these areas can easily become ignition points during a bushfire. But by creating a streamlined design with simple, flat, or gently sloping roofs, you can reduce the risk and make the building easier to maintain. It’s a win-win situation!
Seal Off Potential Entry Points
Gaps in construction (like those around windows, doors, vents, and roofing) can allow embers to penetrate and ignite interior areas. To stop this from happening, all openings should be sealed using ember-proof materials like steel mesh and tight-fitting seals.
Minimise Overhanging Eaves and Exposed Areas
Overhanging eaves, verandahs, and other exposed architectural features may trap heat and embers during a bushfire, so it’s better to choose shorter eaves or boxed eaves as these provide better protection. Likewise, the materials used in exposed areas, such as decking, should be non-combustible or treated with a fire retardant.
Consider Building Orientation
Believe it or not, orienting your home with potential bushfire risks in mind can make a huge difference. Position the more robust building elements, like walls constructed of brick veneer or concrete, on the side most likely to face a fire front, as this will help shield more vulnerable areas like windows and doors from radiant heat.
Innovative Features for a Safer Home
Along with the above, there are some innovative features you can include in your home design that won’t only make it more resistant to bushfire attack mechanisms but also better prepared for other emergencies. Some of the most reliable include:
Fire Retardant Coatings
When you apply a fire retardant coating to timber or any other combustible materials, you’ll be significantly reducing their flammability. These coatings work by forming a protective barrier that slows down the rate at which heat and flames can spread, and they’re an excellent choice for timber decking, external cladding, or any building elements exposed to the exterior of your home.
Sprinkler Systems
Sprinkler systems, both roof-mounted and ground-level, are becoming increasingly popular features in homes located in bushfire-prone areas, and they automatically activate during a bushfire event to dampen the surrounding property and home. As a result, the chances of ignition from radiant heat or ember attack are reduced. However, you do need to make sure the sprinklers are connected to a reliable water source, such as a rainwater tank, and that there is enough pressure for extended use.
Solar Panel with Battery Backup
While solar panels are usually installed for sustainability purposes, they can also be a lifesaver when it comes to bushfire resilience as they’ll help ensure your home has power during an emergency when the grid may fail. This reserved power can then be used for running sprinkler systems and essential appliances.
Water Storage
A dedicated water supply for firefighting purposes is a must-have in bushfire-prone area. Rainwater tanks are an excellent choice for this as they can be connected to a sprinkler system or hose, making it possible to protect your home and the surroundings – just make sure the tank is made of fire-resistant materials and has a decent capacity.
Smart Home Integration
Smart home technology isn’t just for convenience. It can also offer you bushfire protection by allowing you to integrate fire safety systems like sprinklers, alarms, and emergency lighting into a central smart hub. You’ll even be able to monitor and control your safety features remotely, protecting your home from a bushfire event even when you’re away.
Landscaping for Bushfire Resilience
It’s easy to think that bushfire-resistant house design is just about the building, but it’s actually about the property as a whole and, if unprotected, the surrounding landscape has the potential to increase exposure to fire.
One of the best ways of preventing this is by thinking about your garden’s design. Choose low-flammability plants that retain moisture and won’t ignite easily, such as succulents, cacti, and eucalyptus. Also, avoid planting trees with peeling bark or overhanging branches near your house, aiming for a clear zone of at least 20 metres around the building.
Keep on top of regular maintenance, too. This includes clearing your gutters of leaves and twigs, which can easily ignite during an ember attack, and routinely checking your sprinkler system is working and there is sufficient water storage to sustain sprinkler use during an emergency.
Get free advice on bushfire resistant house design from an experienced building broker
Building a home in a bushfire-prone area comes with certain challenges, but it also presents an opportunity to create a resilient and safe space for your family. Of course, this requires the very best building materials and workers, and at Buildi, our team of building brokers can help you find what you need. Contact us today at 1300 947 132 or through our Contact Form to book your free consultation.
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