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Weathering the Storm: Tips for a Climate Resilient Home
The effects of a warmer climate are already being felt with our homes being hit by more powerful storms, intense downpours, and looming meteorological currents.
According to insurance claims, extreme weather events resulted in more than $300m of damage last year which was a record high, and this is only going to become a more frequent experience for New Zealand homeowners. Yet, with a few tips and some extra thought you can reduce your risk when building or buying your next home.
In deciding the best places to live in New Zealand to weather the climatic storm, experts have used a database which compared several factors. From house prices, to amenities, to public transport use, and most crucially known climate risk factors. These factors are all necessary to consider when building a home or buying a new home as climate risk is only increasing, so being mindful of what to do and what not to do is essential.
Several regional councils have produced in-depth climate risk reports for their areas, but there is still no consistent, nationwide body of data on the climate risk posed to homes.
So, if you're considering moving to a new area, or even into a new property in your current area, the following tips are what the climate experts suggest you should consider when it comes to the climate resilience of your new home.
First off, location is key.
The current market is undergoing a shift, with the power structure changing to benefit buyers. But make sure you spend time researching your dream home, as no area is safe from risk, but you can greatly reduce your risk of experiencing landslides, floods, storm surges, and sea level rise erosion by choosing an area carefully.
Have a look at digital maps. Councils are constantly mapping future risks in their areas, and these digital maps are free to access. They’re known as GIS maps, and you can punch in your address and see the current risk information for your area. You can find these maps with a simple web search for your relevant council and the phrase ‘GIS map viewer’.
However, these maps aren’t always the easiest to navigate, and your local council may not have uploaded risk information. But the planning maps in the council’s district plan may provide more information, and these are only a web search away!
A LIM will provide known risks.
All councils are required to include all known risk information in a Land Information Memorandum (LIM). You can access these reports for a small fee from your local council.
Yet, keep in mind a LIM is typically based on past events. Whereas climate change is going to deeply affect at-risk areas and expose new areas to risks, such as from erosion or floods. Climate change can transform a storm surge free area into a meteorological hot spot.
If you’re looking for a property near the beach, the NZ SeaRise website can tell you if the land there is rising or falling, and whether there is any risk of exacerbated rising tides.
The type of house you buy is also important.
As different house designs on the same section could fare quite differently as the climate changes. When you’re considering the architectural features of a property, remember to envisage how the house will fare in bad weather, as this could prevent a future climatic headache!
Raised foundations will protect from flooding. As higher floors offer a degree of protection if you can’t avoid buying in a flood-prone area. Additionally, if you’re building in a flood risk zone, the architect must include certain protections (such as increased floor height) to be granted building consent from the council.
The council is at liberty to consider future hazards in their assessments, but they aren’t currently required to. Since adverse weather events are going to be more frequent, ask your architect to design for this intensified weather. To reduce a potential clean-up bill, consider raising wiring and power points as high as permitted.
Nifty landscaping can also minimize flood risk.
Many uniform concrete surfaces, including driveways, encourage water to pool. But porous surfaces disperse the water as it can seep through and drain away. Materials such as pebbles, gridded pavers, and permeable hard plastics can all help.
It can also be worth considering a rain garden. This would be located in a natural dip on your section, and planted with native shrubs, as the native root systems are great for water absorption. Some new property developments even feature swales, which are shallow channels designed to capture runoff; also, worth considering!
Classic pitched roofs are more resilient.
As flat roofs allow rain to pool, and if there’s a crack the water will enter your home. Unfortunately, a complex roof with multiple stories, angles, and skylights is also higher risk. Roof junctions can become weak spots when poorly maintained, often leading to the development of leaks.
Sturdy windows offer complete storm protection.
As well as keeping in the heat year-round, energy-efficient and multi-glazed windows are stronger than single-paned windows. If you’re building, consider asking for windows with toughened safety glass.
Insulation is critical.
Worsening weather might frequently knock out power, especially to rural properties. So, an insulated home that stays naturally warm and cosy could be a godsend.
During summer the role of insulation flips, as it keeps the heat out. Make sure you consider the home’s natural tree shading and the internal shutters and inset windows. Rooms with facing doors and windows will encourage those cool breezes to flow.
Shade will be increasingly valuable.
As many areas are expected to endure longer and hotter dry spells. Cities will be quite uncomfortable with all that heat-absorbing concrete. That eye-catching window nook may seem like a mere architectural feature, but the intensifying seasonal heat could make it unbearable during the summer months.
These tips can seem extensive, but in only a few years you’ll be thanking yourself for considering these things when having built or purchased that new home. There is no better time to be aware of your area’s climate risks, as being well informed will change the unexpected to the expected!