Australian homes are largely underprepared for longer and hotter summers, RMIT University research has revealed.
Sustainability and social impacts researcher Sarah Robertson said the lack of preparedness for climate change was putting our health and quality of life at risk.
“We need to approach summer the same we do winter; the impacts of extreme heat can be longer term and not only confined to short heatwaves,” Dr Robertson said.
“We’re putting air conditioners into draughty and poorly insulated homes, leading to big energy bills and environmental impacts.”
Dr Robertson said there was a need to improve construction standards and retrofit homes to endure extreme weather.
There was also a need for a national rating system for the energy efficiency of homes, like energy rating labels for electrical appliances.
“Giving homes a rating for energy efficiency will make it easier for households to see where they stand and what they can do to improve their homes’ resilience to extreme temperatures,” she said.
“Ratings would depend on how well a property is designed to withstand extreme temperatures while still being energy efficient.
“It needs to be comprehensive and independently verified, yet easily understood by households.”
Other measures that needed to be considered were cool roofs, “green roofs” and cooler streets through trees, plants and lighter surfaces.
‘Tracing the ruptures and rhythms of summer heat, energy vulnerability and home’ by Sarah Robertson, Gordon Walker and Ralph Horne was published in Geoforum.
