Ready for Anything? Making Sure Essential Facilities Can Support Response After Severe Storms
Tracks
Southport Room 2
| Monday, July 27, 2026 |
| 2:30 PM - 3:00 PM |
| Southport Room 2 |
Overview
Dr Geoff Boughton & David Henderson, Cyclone Testing Station, James Cook University
Details
Three Key Learnings
1. How buildings can easily become inoperable during storms and other severe weather events.
2. Thinking about needs of operations after an extreme event changes the way we design buildings.
3. Checklists can give designers the information to design essential facilities so they remain functional after storms.
Speaker
Dr Geoffrey Boughton
Senior Research Engineer
Cyclone Testing Station, James Cook University
Ready for anything? Making sure essential facilities can support response after severe storms
Abstract
Our emergency services are in high demand immediately following a strong storm event whether it be a tropical cyclone, severe thunderstorm, tornado or east-coast low. To be able to respond in a timely manner to the community, essential service facilities must be operational when others around are damaged. The Cyclone Testing Station has investigated damage to buildings in over 30 wind events in all Australian wind regions. This had led to an understanding of the requirements for buildings that lead to continued functionality after the event.
The minimum requirements in the National Construction Code are set to minimise risk of harm or death to people in buildings. They do not guarantee that the building will survive a very strong event or consider the continuing functionality of the building of a significant event. The community expects some response from essential facilities after it has been harmed by significant events so for essential facilities functionality is an important consideration.
This paper details the benefits of building above the minimum requirements of the NCC to achieve functionality when other buildings have been damaged. It outlines the concepts of Importance level, high internal pressure and the need to keep wind-driven rainwater out. The checklist it presents gives a simple way of shaping a design brief for a new building or a major renovation so that the completed building will be designed to have the capacity to perform its essential functions when required into the future. It contains both practical measures for improving resilience and some examples of good practice.
The minimum requirements in the National Construction Code are set to minimise risk of harm or death to people in buildings. They do not guarantee that the building will survive a very strong event or consider the continuing functionality of the building of a significant event. The community expects some response from essential facilities after it has been harmed by significant events so for essential facilities functionality is an important consideration.
This paper details the benefits of building above the minimum requirements of the NCC to achieve functionality when other buildings have been damaged. It outlines the concepts of Importance level, high internal pressure and the need to keep wind-driven rainwater out. The checklist it presents gives a simple way of shaping a design brief for a new building or a major renovation so that the completed building will be designed to have the capacity to perform its essential functions when required into the future. It contains both practical measures for improving resilience and some examples of good practice.
Biography
Geoff has been involved in Cyclone Testing Station teams that have investigated damage to housing following extreme wind events throughout Australia and on other projects to evaluate and improve resilience in buildings. His research focuses on improving the resilience of the built environment to weather hazards. He is a member of a number of Australian Standards Committees including the committees for the wind loadings standards.
Dr David Henderson
Chief Engineer
Cyclone Testing Station, James Cook University
Ready for anything? Making sure essential facilities can support response after severe storms
Abstract
Our emergency services are in high demand immediately following a strong storm event whether it be a tropical cyclone, severe thunderstorm, tornado or east-coast low. To be able to respond in a timely manner to the community, essential service facilities must be operational when others around are damaged. The Cyclone Testing Station has investigated damage to buildings in over 30 wind events in all Australian wind regions. This had led to an understanding of the requirements for buildings that lead to continued functionality after the event.
The minimum requirements in the National Construction Code are set to minimise risk of harm or death to people in buildings. They do not guarantee that the building will survive a very strong event or consider the continuing functionality of the building of a significant event. The community expects some response from essential facilities after it has been harmed by significant events so for essential facilities functionality is an important consideration.
This paper details the benefits of building above the minimum requirements of the NCC to achieve functionality when other buildings have been damaged. It outlines the concepts of Importance level, high internal pressure and the need to keep wind-driven rainwater out. The checklist it presents gives a simple way of shaping a design brief for a new building or a major renovation so that the completed building will be designed to have the capacity to perform its essential functions when required into the future. It contains both practical measures for improving resilience and some examples of good practice.
The minimum requirements in the National Construction Code are set to minimise risk of harm or death to people in buildings. They do not guarantee that the building will survive a very strong event or consider the continuing functionality of the building of a significant event. The community expects some response from essential facilities after it has been harmed by significant events so for essential facilities functionality is an important consideration.
This paper details the benefits of building above the minimum requirements of the NCC to achieve functionality when other buildings have been damaged. It outlines the concepts of Importance level, high internal pressure and the need to keep wind-driven rainwater out. The checklist it presents gives a simple way of shaping a design brief for a new building or a major renovation so that the completed building will be designed to have the capacity to perform its essential functions when required into the future. It contains both practical measures for improving resilience and some examples of good practice.
Biography
