As Australia braces for increasingly frequent and extreme summer heatwaves, new research highlights the urgent need for improved housing standards to withstand extreme weather conditions.
Dr Sarah Robertson, a sustainability and social impacts expert from RMIT University, has conducted a study examining how Victorian households cope with summer heat events.
Her findings reveal a concerning lack of preparedness in Australian homes.
“Our homes are underprepared for hotter, longer summers and that’s putting our health and quality of life at risk,” Dr Robertson stated.
She emphasised the need to approach summer with the same level of consideration given to winter, noting that the impacts of extreme heat can be long-lasting and not limited to short heatwave periods.
The study highlights a troubling trend of installing air conditioners in poorly insulated and draughty homes, resulting in significant energy bills and environmental impacts.
Dr Robertson and her colleagues are advocating for a national rating system to assess homes’ energy efficiency, similar to the energy rating labels used 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,” Dr Robertson explained.
The proposed rating system would evaluate a property’s ability to withstand extreme temperatures while maintaining energy efficiency.
Dr Robertson stressed the importance of a comprehensive approach to heat management.
In addition to the proposed rating system, she suggested implementing elements such as cool roofs, green roofs, and cooler streets through trees, plants, and lighter surfaces to reduce heat experienced at home.
The researcher cautioned against relying solely on short-term cooling practices without broader governance responses, warning that this approach risks leaving more households in unhealthy, unsustainable, and maladaptive situations of heat at home.
As Australia faces the challenges of a changing climate, Dr Robertson’s research underscores the critical need for improved housing standards and a holistic approach to heat management to ensure the health, comfort, and sustainability of Australian homes in the face of intensifying summer heat.
