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The Pacific is facing more frequent and intense tropical cyclones due to climate change. Fiji alone has experienced over 17 cyclones in the past decade, causing an estimated FJ $500 million in annual asset loss. Without stronger standards, communities remain vulnerable to severe damage, infrastructure costs, and long recovery periods.
Project Purpose
Wind load standards provide guidance for the design and construction of buildings that can withstand cyclonic wind conditions. When adopted into national building codes, these standards create mandatory requirements that strengthen resilience, reduce costs, and protect lives.
This project supports the Department of National Transformation & Management Services (DNTMS) in the formal adoption of adapted version of Australian Standards AS 4055 and AS/NZS 1170.2 as Fijian Standards and ensures they can be securely published and accessed through Standards Australia’s digital platforms. By enabling the adoption and secure dissemination of these standards, the project strengthens Fiji’s regulatory framework and contributes to more resilient construction practices across the Pacific.
This project supports the Department of National Transformation & Management Services (DNTMS) in the formal adoption of adapted version of Australian Standards AS 4055 and AS/NZS 1170.2 as Fijian Standards and ensures they can be securely published and accessed through Standards Australia’s digital platforms. By enabling the adoption and secure dissemination of these standards, the project strengthens Fiji’s regulatory framework and contributes to more resilient construction practices across the Pacific.
Project Scope
The project has seen
- Standards Australia partnered with James Cook University and DNTMS to develop relevant wind load standards for Fiji that are modified adoptions of Australian Standards AS 4055 and AS/NZS 1170.2.
- The standards were modified to the conditions prevailing in Fiji’s cyclonic region, to meet Fiji’s building and construction environment and to ensure the latest research on the impacts of climate change were incorporated.
The next steps
- Standards Australia is now collaborating with DNTMS to support the adoption and distribution of the standards to get them in the hands of Fijian stakeholders.
- SA has entered into an agreement that will enable DNTMS to reproduce selected Standards Australia materials for the purpose of formally adopting them as national Fijian Standards.
- Through the agreement, SA will support distribution of the adopted Fijian Standards through Standards Australia’s digital platforms and on Fiji’s catalogue of Fijian Standards that SA hosts.
Project Outcomes
By the conclusion of the project:
- The Fijian adoptions of Australian Standards AS 4055 and AS/NZS 1170.2 will be published and available for Fijian stakeholders to access.
- This will support the resilience of the built environment in Fiji by providing guidance to builders, architects, designers and building materials manufacturers.
- Ultimately, these standards will support protecting human lives and will reduce the costs associated with building damage caused by cyclones in Fiji.
This initiative not only supports Fiji’s immediate needs but also creates a model for other Pacific economies to adopt climate-responsive wind load standards, helping the region adapt to the growing risks of climate change.
Links
More information coming soon.
CONTACT
Funded / supported by:
Standards Australia
Countries Involved:
Fiji
In partnership with