Designing Buildings For Extreme Weather

Designing Buildings For Extreme Weather

In line with climate projections, extreme weather events have increased in Australian cities both in number and severity. 

Such events include heavy rainfall along the east coast, cyclone events along the north-west coastline and in Far North Queensland, bushfires in the southeast and heat waves across the continent. 
 
Current scientific modelling provides medium to high confidence that the effects of climate change will exacerbate these events even further. Much of the impact of these events is on private dwellings, in many cases in coastal, rural or remote regions. Such events have led to the estimation that by 2030, 1 in every 25 properties will be uninsurable. 

Contemporary design in Australia commonly employs mitigation strategies seeking to reduce the potential impacts of long-term climate change, with regular reference to increased temperatures and sea level rise. 

However, as we are aware, extreme weather events are occurring right now, and regulations and voluntary rating tools should be proactively addressing these critical issues. 
 
Despite extensive work on preparedness for extreme weather by researchers and Governments, practical design guidance for industry varies greatly, creating challenges for providing appropriate, cost-effective solutions specific to each different project location. 

Join our panel of experts who will:

• Describe design strategies for extreme weather scenarios - heavy rainfall and floods, bushfires, heatwaves, winds and cyclones

• Review the regulatory and voluntary mechanisms currently in place in Australia that address extreme weather

• Highlight the gaps in design guidance and site-specific adaptation strategies to reduce impact of extreme weather on Australian houses.

• Describe the differences between designing for climate change and designing for extreme weather

Our Expert Presenters/Panel

Dr Chris Jensen

Lecturer in Construction and Environmental at University of Melbourne

Chris joined the faculty from industry bringing extensive experience as a sustainability consultant on a wide range of projects including commercial Greenstar rated office buildings, energy modelling in Antarctica and overshadowing of super-tall buildings. His research interests include the impact of solar, daylight and shading of facades and the opportunities for sustainable construction, often with reference to European trends and systems. His recent research is focussed on the impacts and design solutions required to address extreme weather events that are increasing in frequency and intensity globally. Applied research addresses the overheating of buildings during heatwaves and the effectiveness of retrofit solutions such as heat reflecting cool roof coatings.

Dr Alan March

Professor in Urban Planning and Disaster Risk Reduction at the University of Melbourne

Alan has practised since 1991 in a broad range of private sector and government settings and has had roles in statutory and strategic planning, advocacy, and urban design. Alan's publications and research include examination of the practical governance mechanisms of planning and urban design, often focussing on the ways planning systems can successfully manage change and transition as circumstances change. He is particularly interested in the ways that planning and design can modify disaster risks and undertakes research in design principles for bushfire. His current work also considers the ways that urban planning is seeking to establish new ways to spatialise urban management and disaster risk.

Dr Andrew King

Senior Lecturer in Climate Science at the University of Melbourne

Andrew completed his PhD in climate science in 2015 at UNSW and since that time has worked at Melbourne University and has amassed an extensive body of work spanning climate change and variability, climate extremes, sub seasonal-to-seasonal prediction, and climate change impacts. Andrew is interested in climate change projections under the Paris Agreement, understanding the effect of global warming on regional climates, and seasonal impact of climate extremes and has published several landmark studies on climate projections in high-impact journals.

CPD - Participation in this webinar will deliver 2.5 formal CPD points.

Learning Outcomes: At the conclusion of this session guests will be able to describe the impact of extreme weather on the built environment, list the mandatory and involuntary requirements to deal with extreme weather in buildings and explain Land Management and design strategies to address extreme weather

AACA Competencies:
PC 9 & 16 ( Practice Management and Professional Conduct)
PC 28 ( Project Initiation & Conceptual Design)

The webinar will include time for Q&A with our speakers. Written CPD questions will be circulated prior to the event. Send your responses to CPD questions to mark@meccaevents.com.au for the issue of a certificate of completion. Keep your receipt, completed questions and certificate for your CPD records.

For more information, contact Mark Gledhill - mark@meccaevents.com.au