Description

Research shows that, apart from some slight changes, light timber-framed buildings designed using our current standards should largely stand up to the increased wind speeds that climate change is expected to bring.

In Build 186, Will our buildings stand climate change? introduced a project exploring the potential effects of climate change on light timber-framed (LTF) buildings. This project considered wind speed increases and how they might affect the design of LTF buildings, considering several Aotearoa New Zealand building standards and an Acceptable Solution.

Scope

This article includes:

• Do standards need to change?
• Four design standards analysed
• Design wind speed increases
• LTF building standards well placed
• Where SED will be required
• Sensitivity analysis works well for some
• SED should account for climate change impacts
• Further work as adaptation advances