Flame Zone Home

Insights
from the
architect.

What is a Flame Zone?

For a site to be classified as a flame zone, it has been identified as having an extreme risk of bushfire with a higher chance of property damage. As the area is directly exposed to bushfire flames, the heat flux can get greater than 40kW/m2. Therefore, to build a BAL Flame Zone home, one must expertly follow the requirements to build on the property. Please read our blog on BAL Ratings for more information.

Featured specifications

Our ‘Flame Zone’ house fully complies with the most extreme BAL rating. Some of the bushfire safety features which have been included in this home are the following;

• Analysis of the property in collaboration with the bushfire consultant.
• Form extrudes over the veranda, so there is a refuge and protection from the elements.
• The exterior is clad in Fire Crunch, a lightweight material that resists fire, water, sound, termites, impact and mould. Click this link to see how it withstands the heat.
• Thicker glass windows and sliding doors than standard with the highest quality finish with a priority to maximise safe solar gain and views.
• Customisable position of the modular home and windows to reduce bushfire risk by planting vegetation as a fire blocker, not a starter.
• Commercial fire-rated doors and windows.
• Use DecoDecking, an attractive yet fire-safe alternative to the traditional timber deck, Or use fibre cement decking.
• Customised to the site with necessary tweaks will be required to meet individual requirements.
• External shutters are concealed behind all openings, and fire collars are to all penetrations.

Finally, each bushfire-prone site rated Bushfire Attack Level 40  or Bushfire Attack Level Flame Zone (BAL-FZ) requires submission of a development application (DA) to the local council, demonstrating how the development meets the design and construction standards required.

For a house to meet Flame Zone requirements, the design needs customisation specific to the differences represented at each site. As this home is designed for a specific site certain changes will be required to meet other Flame Zone properties. Please contact us for further information.