With bushfires burning in North America and Australia, Senior Building Physics + Sustainability Engineer Lawrence Le looks at Australia's strict fire engineering requirements which maximise the protection and safety of building occupants.
Bushfires can pose a significant threat to life and property, particularly in regions like Australia where the climate and vegetation can create conditions that contribute to more frequent or intense bushfires. Buildings in bushfire-prone areas must therefore adhere to strict fire engineering requirements to maximise the protection and safety of their occupants.
In bushfire emergencies, the critical goal is to ensure the safety of all occupants which typically involves a safe evacuation. However, there are some scenarios where this is not feasible, and it becomes more important for occupants to take shelter within the building itself. This is especially true for vulnerable populations, such as school children or the elderly, where evacuation may be challenging or dangerous due to mobility or volume of occupants.
The concept of “internal tenability” as per the Australian Building Codes Board (2022) refers to the ability for a building to preserve a safe and habitable environment that protects occupants during a bushfire event. Ensuring internal tenability is vital as it enables occupants to take shelter during a bushfire event, increasing the time available for a safe evacuation route to be secured. Refuge areas within the building should be designed so that occupants can be supplied with smoke-free air and to avoid serious discomfort or burns from internal surfaces of the building during a bushfire event.
