Building for the future

A new initiative backed by NRMA Insurance sets out ways to build weather-resilient homes

By Bernice Han

Named after the Latin word for strong, FORTIS House is the latest insurer-backed initiative aimed at helping Australians weatherproof their homes as natural catastrophes strike more regularly, and with more intensity.

The project is the brainchild of the Bushfire Building Council of Australia (BBCA), an independent, not-for-profit organisation working to find research-based solutions that will reduce climate and disaster risk for households, communities, governments and industry.

BBCA worked on the project in collaboration with NRMA Insurance and other stakeholders over several months, and unveiled it in April as New South Wales and Queensland began mopping up from the February/ March floods, the country’s costliest flood event with insured losses of at least $4.3 billion.

The idea for FORTIS House came about after the 2019/2020 Black Summer bushfires and subsequent floods, in response to affected communities seeking help on ways to rebuild homes that are better equipped to withstand future blazes and other catastrophes, says the BBCA.

BBCA is contacted by thousands of people asking for help to make their homes more resilient to bushfire and other disasters. As the number of disasters has increased, reflecting the impact of climate change on weather patterns, says the BBCA, so have the calls to the non-profit body asking for building resilience tips.

“Australia is exposed to increasing extreme weather and disasters, yet less than 10% of our houses are resilient to local risk,” Chief Executive Kate Cotter says. “We just have to do something better.”

Dwellings constructed according to FORTIS principles are designed to be “self-defending” in a disaster so that occupants are encouraged to evacuate, stay safe and have a home to return to once it is safe to do so.

Non-combustible materials are widely used in a FORTIS home, from steel framing to cladding, decking, gutters, insulation and internal flooring, as they last longer and are low maintenance.

Features that “measurably” reduce the risk of building loss and damage from extreme weather and disasters, including flood, cyclone, bushfire and heatwave define a typical FORTIS home.

A FORTIS House has a protective outer layer of high-performance steel mesh bi-fold screens that protects glazing and decking, which are highly vulnerable to disasters. Glazing is set back from the screens to reduce radiant heat transfer, thereby increasing the likelihood that glazing survives extreme weather and disasters. This will provide a functioning home even if the screens are damaged.

Sub-floor structures are built from non-combustible materials and screened with a mix of steel mesh and concrete blocks. The removable, perforated mesh screens allow airflow, water escape and protect services.

A FORTIS home has a roof form that is designed to be aerodynamic so that debris accumulation is minimised and uplift forces are reduced during high winds. On the sustainability front, a FORTIS house is water self-sufficient, 100% electric and solar powered.

To help as many Australians as possible, BBCA has provided free FORTIS House architectural drawings, specifications and handbooks to make it easier and more affordable for them to build sustainable houses that are disaster-resilient.

Pre-fabricated FORTIS Houses are available for purchase, from $300,000 to $700,000, and can be

Strong defences: the FORTIS designs improve homes’ disaster resilience constructed in as little as 12 weeks.

Climate and resilience experts from the NRMA Insurance team worked closely with BBCA and the Shoalhaven community in NSW to develop the FORTIS House resources. IAG-owned NRMA Insurance also provided a financial contribution to enable the development of the handbooks.

This is the second such disaster-resilient house project to involve an insurer. In April last year Suncorp launched One House, a prototype it created in collaboration with a number of partners to come up with a home structure that can withstand fire, flood, storm and cyclone.

Mark Leplastrier, IAG Executive Manager Natural Perils, says taking part in the FORTIS House project reflects the insurer’s belief in helping customers prepare for and mitigate the risks they face.

“As an insurer, we play a critical role when it comes to responding for our customers and helping communities recover in times of disaster, but preparing for severe weather impacts is just as important,” he tells Insurance News.

“To protect vulnerable communities, we need everyone who brings expertise in understanding the impacts of severe weather events to be at the same table, sharing their data and insights.

“That means greater collaboration and coordination across all levels of government, as well as local community groups, insurers, banks, councils and builders.” 0

Here’s a summary of features found in a FORTIS home:

Sealing gaps: protects the house from ember entry, wind driven water ingress. Reduces air leakage to improve energy efficiency

Set-back glazing and perimeter screens: protects the house from embers, reduces radiant heat, protects from debris impact caused by high winds and rushing water, and reduces wind driven water ingress. Glazing with toughened glass to appropriate Bushfire Attack Level, double glazed

Tied down roof: secures the roof during high winds that occur during bushfires, cyclones and storms

Steel framing: non-combustible, strong, water resistant

Concrete or hardwood internal flooring: non-combustible, water resilient, strong

Anchored rainwater tanks: non-combustible steel tanks, dedicated firefighting and domestic water supplies, anchored to prevent loss in storms, floods and cyclones

Elevated services: wiring in roof, elevated meter box, flood areas below probable maximum flood levels

Non-combustible cladding: steel, masonry, or concrete is fire, water and debris resistant

Sub-floor: removable, perforated mesh screens allow airflow and water escape and protect services

Insulation: non-combustible insulation

Roof ventilation: Vent-A-Roof along roof ridges on house and shed to protect against condensation and mould and allow heat escape

Heating & cooling: all electric, solar powered; reduces building penetrations and reduces operating costs

Steel half-round gutters and gutter guard: prevent debris accumulation, bushfire ignition, water ingress into roof system during storms, self-flushing and easy to clean

Decking system: non-combustible decking construction