Can My Next House be Sustainable, Stylish and Bushfire Compliant?
Building your ideal house in the bush, surrounded by towering gumtrees, the sounds of native birds and the fresh air, is a lifestyle many people dream of having.
It also comes with risk. More than 1,300 homes were lost during the devastating 2019-20 Australian bush fire season. There’s no doubt that bush fire design needs to be at the forefront of your mind when building on bush fire-prone land.
Fire is a natural part of the Australian landscape. We need to learn how to live with it while also keeping our families safe; our homes comfortable and sustainable.
Building your home from concept to completion can be an exciting and overwhelming task. It’s one of the biggest financial decisions you will ever make. There are hundreds of decisions to be made from choosing the right designer, builder, materials, style, and design of the interior and exterior. You also want to ensure your design reflects your family’s lifestyle and values.
If you’re building your home in a bush fire zone you will also need to grapple with the latest bush fire regulations in housing design. The Bush Fire Attack Level (BAL) of your land determines many elements of your design – everything from flame zone windows, ember guards on gutters, concrete wall panels, and fire-retardant decking.
It can be overwhelming. It’s certainly not something you want to wade through on your own.
What do I need to consider if I want to build on bush fire prone land?
- Visit your state’s bush fire service website. In NSW, visit the RFS – Building in a bush fire area page which will inform you on whether the land you intend to build on is bush fire prone land. It also provides step-by-step instructions on planning and preparing to build in a bushfire-prone area.
- Speak to the experts. Hire an experienced building designer to work with you to design your home. Together you can choose the best bush fire resilient materials to suit your budget. They will also ensure your home meets all of the BAL requirements.
- Choose a Builder who has had experience building in bush fire zones, having previously built homes to BAL-FZ or BAL-40 regulations. This requires a particular skillset and expertise. Your building designer will most likely recommend someone.
- Join our exclusive Sustainable, Stylish, and Bush fire compliant webinar. You will discover how your house design can be contemporary, innovative, sustainable, and reasonably priced, while also complying with BAL requirements. The webinar also includes an ‘All Access Pass’ to one of the hottest minimalist houses on the market – all built to meet the highest bush fire regulations.
This exclusive webinar has been created to inspire and inform you. You will:
- Find out how designing your home to meet BAL requirements will create a better and more sustainable house design.
- Learn how to retain functionality and balance the costs.
- Have an opportunity to ask questions.
- Learn from the experts in bush fire design and building
- Check out the latest technologies available to the Australian building market.
- Understand how the BAL requirements will affect the design of your house.
You might ask, can homes designed with bush fire protection still be built sustainably?
Yes, of course! Even more so. Homes designed with bush fire protection in mind are often more sustainable than the average home because of the materials used. In our webinar, we will share with you some of the different products available.
We’ll also explain how we work with the natural environment surrounding the home to incorporate biophilic design. This simply means that we aim to create a connectivity between the natural environment and the home. When a home is designed with this in mind, it creates a healthier and more stress-free living space.
Homes designed to be bush fire compliant are even more connected to their surrounding environment yet also protected from any adverse fire events. It’s a beautiful synergy that we can achieve.
Do I have to sacrifice design aesthetics for a bush fire compliant home?
No, not at all! It can sometimes be a challenge but one we will happily meet. You can put any images of a drab concrete bunker to rest. We will work with you to achieve your dream home that’s bushfire compliant and stylish. One way to do this is to build a house that is still open, airy and light while also incorporating fire resistant shutters that can be used in the event of a bush fire. We can also find ways to incorporate the materials you want to use, such as timber - used as fire-resistant treated hardwood timber.
Hear from the following experts in bush fire building design and construction.
Cory Webb Design Founder – Cory Webb is your bush firehouse design specialist. With 18 years of experience in building design, his expertise lies in improving the quality and health of a home through sustainable and biophilic design.
Split Building Founder - Damir Jurkovic will walk you through a recently built stunning minimalist house design, built to BAL-FZ. He will also explain how you can keep your budget under control when building in bush fire-rated areas.
Home by BELLE Interior Designer - Shilpa Mohan is a passionate, award-winning interior designer, speaker, and design judge with experience across the board. She will impart some of her understanding of how to style and design with sustainable materials.
Control Line Consulting Founder – Craig Burley will share: What is the BAL rating system? How do the slope, vegetation type, and distance affect the BAL rating? What should I consider when looking to purchase a new property to build on?
Kingspan Water tanks - Steve Potgieter will introduce you to a range of our recommended bush fire building products from Kingspan.
We can’t wait to reveal how designing and building a bushfire-compliant home need not be overwhelming. With the right information and expert advice, you can feel empowered to make clearer decisions and take the first steps to build your dream home.