Brickwork is a hugely popular choice for Australian homes because of its durability, strength and traditional look. However, in Australia today we are spoilt for choice in terms of building material alternatives. Below we’ll look at a few different materials from the perspectives of bushfire protection and environmental friendliness.
Alternatives to Brick in Bushfire Prone Areas
In Australia, developing the perfect bushfire-proof home has become something of a national passion. If you live in a bushfire prone area, your choice of building material is very important and will be determined in large part by the BAL (Bushfire Attack Level) rating of your block.
Timber
Timber may not seem like the obvious choice if you live in a bushfire-prone area; however if you have a lower BAL rating, dense, solid timbers are still an option. A number of Australian hardwoods are known to possess fire-resistant properties, including the likes of blackbutt, spotted gum, red river gum and silvertop ash. Timber can also be treated with fire retardant to enhance its ability to withstand fire.
Steel
Whether you opt for traditional corrugated steel or architectural panels, steel offers an attractive, low maintenance fire-resistant facade. Steel also reflects heat, helping to keep you cool indoors during the hotter months.
Concrete
Like brick, concrete is produced using intense temperatures, and so it's naturally good at resisting the destructive properties of heat. Concrete offers a high degree of protection from bushfires because it simply can’t be ignited, it has poor heat transfer properties and it won’t release any toxic gases no matter how hot it gets.
Environmentally Friendly Alternatives to Brick
Opting for an environmentally friendly building material may feel like the ‘right thing to do’; however it can also offer health benefits, as eco-friendly materials don’t release any harmful toxins, plus they can add to the resale value of your home. Some pretty good reasons for going green we think! Here’s a few options off the beaten track you may not have considered.
Straw Bale
Straw, obviously being dried grass, is a renewable building material, and given the amount of grain crops we grow in Australia, the straw for your home shouldn’t need to be transported from too far away. Straw is a lightweight building material which has been used for centuries, and, depending on the type of grass used, it can be highly resistant to decay. Strawbale homes can look beautiful, being typically finished with an earth or cement render. The thick straw bales also offer fantastic sound and thermal insulation.
Mud brick
Mud brick is an environmentally-friendly building material, being made primarily from earth, straw and water and it’s also a very affordable choice. Like straw, mud brick is a great insulator and offers a distinctive, olden-style finish.
Bamboo
It’s not just socks, cutlery and bicycles which can be made from bamboo; you can also build a bamboo house! Bamboo has long been a building staple across many parts of Asia and while not yet classed as a structural material in Australia, new bamboo treatments and building methodologies should see it become more widely used here. If Australia can develop a homegrown bamboo cropping industry, the reduction in transport requirements would help increase this material’s local environmental credentials.
At Omara, we love the challenge of unique and exciting builds, it makes us better at our job plus it keeps life interesting! For builds in bushfire prone areas or, on unusual, sloping blocks, contact Omara today.