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Climate Adaptation & Flooding

Helping uninsured Queenslanders recover from floods

In our capacity as the Queensland headquarters for Emergency Architects Australia we initiated a project to help uninsured Queenslanders recover and build back better after the 2011 floods.
A local response

With Emergency Architects Australia, we mobilised more than 120 volunteer architects, engineers and students to conduct free-of-charge assessments of flooded houses. We focussed on houses in suburbs where residents may have been under insured or uninsured.

Developing the program

By talking to local experts, we gathered useful information to pass on to homeowners. We filmed an architect and engineer assessing two homes, which helped inform our assessment checklist for volunteers.

Impact and outcomes

We completed inspections of over 230 homes. Our public information sessions reached 1,200 families, giving the program broader impact.

Building Back Better

During the home inspections we learned many lessons about how buildings respond to water. We incorporated this data into our practice, forming the genesis of our work in climate adaptation.
We can help prevent many disasters in the future by taking a different approach to building. Our findings were submitted to the Queensland Flood Commission of Inquiry. You can read our final report here.

To learn more about flood resilient design for your region, please get in touch.

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