One of the most important decisions you'll make is choosing the right building materials.
Why should TBA Firefly BAL FZ be part of your fire protection solution to ensure that your client's home is as safe as possible in the event of a bushfire?
1) It meets BAL Flame Zone building requirements,
2) It can help with the approval process,
3) It provides peace of mind years later,
4) It helps with insulation and energy efficiency, and
5) It maintains a constant temperature, making it ideal for cellaring wine.
Don’t simply take our word for it, read on to learn what retired structural engineer Gary Bullock had to say when questioned 10 years after he used TBA Firefly BAL FZ for his home in Spencer, in NSW’s Hawkesbury River region.
Q What were the main factors that influenced your decision to choose TBA Firefly BAL FZ over other fire protective solutions/products?
A “I first saw TBA Firefly BAL FZ on the Grand Designs program where the owner was rebuilding his house in Victoria that had just been gutted by bushfire. It was the Black Saturday bushfire in 2009 as I recall. That was a very impressive program and the owner was so determined he wasn’t going to lose his home again and he obviously thoroughly researched what fire protection he needed to give him the best chance. I recall the blow torch demo they did to demonstrate that it got red hot on the outside and no heat got through.
I had decided on a RAL kit home as a cheap version of a Glen Murcutt style architecture that was a bit out there. The only problem was it was a corrugated iron clad marine plywood construction, simply great as bushfire fuel. The curved roofline meant I needed a flexible material rather than a stiff board to line the plywood superstructure under the corrugated iron roofing. So, the TBA Firefly fitted the bill perfectly. It just meant some minor modifications to the RAL – roof curvature and introducing steel supporting purlins etc.
As a result of the Victorian Bushfires the Victorian Government tightened up their bushfire protection standards for housing and NSW followed suit with theirs in 2010-11, part the way through the house design. The fire Protection consultant I engaged was also very keen to incorporate TBA Firefly BAL FZ and also used the thermal insulation characteristics of the BAL FZ in the energy efficiency study as part of the DA submission to Gosford Council.
So with the form of the RAL building, BAL FZ performance specification which meant we could meet the revised BAL Flame Zone building requirements, keenness of TBA Firefly to supply and install the BAL FZ at a price within our budget it was a no brainer.â€
Q Did it influence the approval process for building in a high flame zone area?
A “Yes, that together with the fire protection consultant endorsement of TBA Firefly BAL FZ.
We had no issues obtaining DA and Building Construction approval from Council and the Bush Fire authorities.â€
Q Are you still happy with your decision to choose TBA Firefly BAL FZ 10 years later?
A “Absolutely. Even though the house has only been field tested with a controlled backburn metres from it we feel very confident that when we lock up to go home after a weekend stay that it will still be there when we return, bushfire or no bushfire.â€
Q Were there any other benefits to choosing BAL FZ in terms of heating/cooling, insulation, energy savings…
A “The house always maintains a pretty constant temperature inside despite external temperature changes. It is really noticeable when we arrive for a weekend stay and unlock the front door. If it is hot outside it is always cool inside and vice versa if really cold outside it is warmer inside. I use the area under the house, which is BAL FZ clad as well, for storing my wine, because it maintains that pretty constant temperature, ideal for cellaring wine.â€
Act now to protect your client's homes from bushfires. Contact us today at [email protected] or call 02 8004 333 and make the smart decision for your clients.
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