Can a straw-house resist the fury of the bushfire?
The inventor of a fire-resistant house made of straw will be a keynote speaker at the 2017 Bushfire Building Conference and Community Forum at the Hub in Springwood.
Blue Mountains Economic Enterprise CEO, Bernie Fehon, said it was an honour for the industry to engage with Dutch-born Joost Bakker, who is known globally as a pioneer thinker and innovator in building materials, waste management and nutrition.
Joost designed and built a fire-resistant house out of straw that can withstand a CSIRO fire test in temperatures over 1000C.
“We are very fortunate to have him at the conference to share the principles behind what he has achieved,” Mr Fehon said. “He’s an innovator who is always pushing the boundaries, and the Blue Mountains community can put these ideas into practice to build sustainably for the future.”
Mr Bakker will be joined by researchers from the CSIRO, architects and building innovators at this annual event, regarded as a unique gathering of bushfire building professionals in Australia.
Other experts appearing include Associate Professor, Bushfire Science, Geoffrey Cary from Australian National University, who specialises in teaching bushfire dynamics and management.
The program, themed Building for the Future, will also include sessions on bushfire building technology and research, vegetation and landscape management, product compliance and installation.
Registration is now open for the industry conference taking place on Friday, September 8. Early bird conference tickets are $180 + GST for a limited time and are available online at https://bmee.org.au/2017-bushfire-building-conference-registration/.
The community day on Saturday, September 9 will feature leading local businesses connected to the building and bushfire protection industry, while the highly popular community forums will have an interactive program of panel discussions and presentations.
Industry experts and regulators will be on hand to share their knowledge, research, experience and advice.
There will also be BAL-rated product displays, kids’ activities and a sausage sizzle. Entry to the Saturday forum and marketplace is free.
More information on the conference and speakers can be found at https://www.facebook.com/bushfirebuildingconference/.
The major partner is the NSW RFS. Platinum sponsors are Sonnenschutz and Nilfire; gold sponsors Architectural Window Systems (AWS) and Warrior Windows & Shutters; and bronze sponsor Bushfire Consulting Services.