$750,000 TO HELP DEVELOP NEW WINDOWS FOR FLAME ZONES
Planning Minister Justin Madden today announced $750,000 in grants for research and development of windows specifically suited to houses in the highest category of Bushfire Attack Level â€" the Flame Zone.
(Media-Newswire.com) - Planning Minister Justin Madden today announced $750,000 in grants for research and development of windows specifically suited to houses in the highest category of Bushfire Attack Level – the Flame Zone. Speaking at an industry Roundtable to encourage ongoing rebuilding efforts in bushfire affected communities Mr Madden said it was important to support the building industry while it developed new products to meet national building standards introduced after the February 2009 fires.
“We are committed to ensuring that Victorians impacted by the Black Saturday and Gippsland bushfires can rebuild with the appropriate level of bushfire protection,” Mr Madden said.
“While there are many ways to increase the ability to defend a house in case of a bushfire, windows are a key area of vulnerability for any house.
“Yet many houses in the highest level of potential bushfire risk are in some of the most picturesque parts of Victoria and homeowners want to be able to take advantage of the view.
“Although there are already two window products available for BAL-FZ, the Victorian Government wants to drive the development of further choice and availability of windows in the market.”
Mr Madden said the research and development grants would be distributed to manufacturers via an expression of interest process.
“The criterion for funding includes a demonstrated previous commitment to developing windows for high risk bushfire sites; technical capability; production capability; and the ability to produce a cost efficient product,” Mr Madden said.
“The building and construction industries have been instrumental in helping communities and residents rebuild after the devastating fires but it is important to sustain the rebuilding effort and also support the industry as they meet the demands of the new national standards.
“These grants should support the research and development that will provide greater choice for consumers and allow market forces to bring down the costs associated with new products.”
Mr Madden said today’s grant announcement follows on from the launch of the Bushfire Retrofit Guide, produced by the Building Commission and the Country Fire Authority, on Monday as part of Fire Action Week.
The Guide will go a long way to helping Victorians prepare for the bushfire season. It will help more than 470,000 homeowners in high risk areas retrofit existing homes to better withstand a bushfire.
Related Content
Published by:
Release Date
This story was released on 2010-10-14. Please make sure to visit the official company or organization web site to learn more about the original release date. See our disclaimer for additional information.