New Zealand’s Natural Hazards Commission says it has supported 73 research projects over the past year, providing more than $NZ10 million ($8.39 million) of funding.  

The annual Resilience Highlights Report also shows the agency secured a record $NZ10.3 billion ($8.64 billion) of reinsurance for natural hazard risks last year.  

The report showcases studies focusing on structural resilience, hazard detection and land use.

One investigated the benefits of base isolation – which enables buildings to move independently of ground shaking – and suggested such properties could be cost-effective within 10 to 15 years of construction.

Another study analysed seismic data from Auckland’s volcanic field using advanced machine learning, finding more than five times as many earthquakes as previously recorded.  

NHC chief resilience officer Jo Horrocks says the report is a “snapshot of the diversity of resilience work under way – from uncovering new insights into earthquake and climate risk to improving building performance and supporting smarter land-use decisions”.  

The report also outlines the development of a new platform for the NHC’s natural perils portal, which will allow users to view predictive mapping for potential hazards.  

NHC will release updated plans for climate action, resilient homes and buildings, and smarter land use practices later this year.  

See the report here.