Why apartments are failing the heat stress test

People lounge in the fountain of the
Trocadero in front of the Eiffel Tower
during a heatwave in 2015 in Paris.
France introduced “summer comfort”
building standards following its
2003 heatwave. 

If a heatwave hit Melbourne and the power blacked out, most apartment buildings would bake, with indoor temperatures exceeding international health standards, according to a new analysis that calls for Australia to adopt standards to protect occupants against heat stress.

Researchers at the University of Melbourne modelled six common apartment designs in the city and all six failed standards for new buildings set in France, the UK, Germany and the US. There are no health standards to ensure against heat stress in the Building Code of Australia.

Lead researcher and construction scientist Mr Chris Jensen, from the Melbourne School of Design, said the results are a wake-up call given the risk of heatwaves. He says it’s time Australia catches up with other countries to adopt similar standards for new buildings, and he says action is needed to encourage the retrofitting of existing buildings.

Read the Pursuit story by Andrew Trounson, University of Melbourne - “Why apartments are failing the heat stress test.”