Sustainable houses resist bushfires - Westech by Certainteed study

Homes built to resist extremes of weather are also well able to resist bushfires, according to a study by the ACT government's Home Energy Advice Team. Dramatic confirmation of their advice exists in houses left standing after both the February Victorian fires and the Canberra fire of 2003.

One Marysville builder believes he has living proof.
"I nicknamed my house Droopy because I predicted it would melt rather than burn in a bushfire," he says of a house he built recently which was right in the heart of the recent Black Saturday disaster. "Well, the worst fire in history did hit and my house is one of the few left standing, even though it was totally surrounded by fire and copped the full blast of ember attack."

Temperatures were estimated to be well over 1000°.

'Droopy' refers to the extensive use of modern materials in the house, such as uPVC framed windows, weatherboards and decking of recycled plastic. Nobody is laughing now that the house can be seen standing starkly intact in the ashen moonscape of Marysville. And yes, the decking, walls and windows did bend a little in the aftermath of the fire.

Many of the successful features of its construction were advocated in a series of papers by the Home Energy Advice Team (HEAT) which studied the survival rates of homes caught by the 2003 Canberra Fires. The following pointers come from www.heat.net.au.

"Housing designs that offer greater resistance to radiant heat and ember attack during bushfires also incorporate many energy efficient design principles. The real enemy is the embers that attack the house before and after the flame front hits. All gaps around doors, windows and eaves should be sealed to improve energy efficiency and reduce entry points for embers. Windows designed for improved thermal performance protect the house from heat transfer during a fire."

Details of energy efficient/fire resistant building will also be spelled out at a seminar next month.

"It's a happy coincidence that a house that is well sealed against changes in the weather is also slow to succumb to radiant heat and flying embers," says Ross Wilson, presenter of the seminar and director of Certainteed double glazed windows. "For decades we have been advising people on their total houseplan, so that they will get the most out of their double glazed windows. Prior to Marysville, I would have said our windows were a great help against fire. But now that I've seen one of our houses survive the worst fire in Australian history, I'm prepared to claim that our effective double glazed windows made all the difference. They don't shatter easily like single glazing and they don't support combustion. Most importantly, they seal effectively, keeping out ember bearing winds as surely as winter draughts. HEAT's papers have been on their web site for five years but few builders or standards authorities seem to take any notice."

To be held in Cheltenham on Saturday 4th April, the seminar will cover topics such as solar orientation, eaves and verandah design, effective materials, insulation do's and don'ts, draught exclusion, building and glazing methods and traps to avoid.

"We cover everything from slab to ridgecap, because must think of your house as a total, energy efficient system," Mr Wilson added.

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