The inaugural 2018 Pacific Tropical Building Forum was held from 7 to 8 June at James Cook University, Townsville, to discuss issues relating to tropical building standards and risk reduction while fostering community resilience across the Pacific.
— By APIBC News
The inaugural 2018 Pacific Tropical Building Forum was held from 7 to 8 June at James Cook University, Townsville, to discuss issues relating to tropical building standards and risk reduction while fostering community resilience across the Pacific.
The Forum attracted 76 attendees including senior business, academic, government and industry representatives. The speakers program and program development was led by Dr Geoff Boughton, Adjunct Associate Professor at James Cook University, and Mr Damian Fisher from Standards Australia, supported by Mr Adrian Weeks Pacific Trade Commissioner at the Australian Trade Commission. Included in the speakers program was Mr Luc Bataille, Chef de la Cellule Koniambo of Northern Province, New Caledonia, who gave a presentation on the theme “Sustainable Urban and Rural Design and Development in a fast growing territory” based around the VKPP.
International participants were welcomed from Fiji, New Caledonia, New Zealand, Vanuatu and Tonga.
The event was very successful in generating improved knowledge amongst participants about the physical aspects of tropical buildings including resilience, building standards and codes, the rebuilding process, building products and risk insurance, in addition to the human aspects of compliance and capacity building. Participants concluded that some Pacific jurisdictions do have appropriate building codes, but poor compliance and enforcement hinders sustainability.
The Forum included a site visit to the world class Cyclone Testing Station at James Cook University hosted by the University’s Dr Geoff Broughton, Adjunct Associate Professor, and Dr David Henderson, Chief Engineer at the station where participants witnessed the methods of testing building materials and techniques against simulated conditions.
The Council appreciated the opportunity to work on this Forum with Austrade and James Cook University and thanks them for their support and positive contributions, as well as acknowledging all the presenters and participants including those who journeyed to Townsville from overseas and interstate.
