Australia’s leading businesses in building or renovating in a bushfire zone will gather under one roof to provide information to Blue Mountains residents on Saturday, February 22.
The special expo will be held from 10am-4pm at Springwood Sports Club.
Blue Mountains Economic Enterprise (BMEE) has joined forces with local architect collective, the Blue Mountains Design Group (BMDG), to showcase the latest fire-resistant products and services to assist residents preparing to rebuild following the October 2013 bushfires, or anyone else building a new home or renovating an existing property.
“Last year’s bushfires have highlighted the enormous changes that have occurred to the regulations around building in a bushfire zone over the last decade. The planning, design and construction requirements have increased and the whole process can be difficult and expensive,” said BMEE chairman, Donald Luscombe.
“The expo will provide a one-stop-shop not only for residents rebuilding after the fires but for everyone living in the Blue Mountains who may be thinking about improved bushfire home safety, building a new home or renovating an existing property,” said BMEE chief executive officer, Jacqueline Brinkman.
Since the October bushfires, Blue Mountains City Council, Rural Fire Service and the local architects through Blue Mountains Design Group have been providing a free bushfire building advisory service for residents affected by last year’s fires.
“The expo is an excellent next step for residents to understand which products and materials are permitted in high bushfire risk areas,” said local architect Nigel Bell.
“In most cases, such products are mandated by the bushfire regulations, but many are hardly known. We will have displays, brochures, sales and technical people on hand to discuss windows, doors, walls, roofs and many more products,” he said.
BMEE is the peak regional economic development organisation for the Blue Mountains and has been co-ordinating the economic recovery subcommittee in the aftermath of the bushfires.
The Bushfire (re)Build Expo will present more than 25 companies with products especially suitable for high bushfire-risk construction.
Entry is free.