Geoscape Australia Enhances Bushfire Resilience

Geoscape location intelligence has significantly enhanced the Resilient Building Council‘s (RBC) Bushfire Resilience Home Self-assessment app. This free app bolsters bushfire resilience for Australian homes, leading to potential insurance savings and advancing sustainable community practices.

The Bushfire Resilience Rating App

Supported by a $3 million investment from the Albanese Government, the app provides a platform for users to assess and improve their homes’ bushfire resilience. It has been adopted by over 22,000 households, with this significant uptake resulting in roughly $52 million invested in home safety improvements.

Major insurers, like NRMA Insurance and Suncorp Group, now offer discounts to homeowners who use the app to enhance their properties’ resilience. Additionally, financial incentives such as mortgage rate reductions are being tested by NAB for users participating in home retrofit programs.

Geoscape Australia Contribution

Geoscape solutions, specifically the Geoscape Addresses API and Buildings API, are integral to the app’s functionality:

• Addresses API: Provides precise geolocation data, ensuring that each home’s address is accurately mapped within the app. This critical information allows for the detailed assessment of bushfire risk based on location, aiding in the customisation of resilience strategies for individual properties.
• Buildings API: Provides detailed data on building characteristics, such as building area and roof size, helping the app evaluate how a home’s construction and design could affect its resilience to bushfires.

The result is a practical tool that helps homeowners understand their bushfire risk and take action.

The partnership between Geoscape and the RBC illustrates the potential of technology-driven solutions to address challenges posed by climate change and natural disasters.

It’s rewarding to be part of a project that aligns so closely with Geoscape Australia’s goal of leveraging technology to help Australians build safer and more resilient communities.

Learn more about the Bushfire Resilience Rating at resiliencerating.org