Invitation to Register for Conference
Date: 8-10 April 2025
Background
Extreme events – including heatwaves, flooding, droughts, wild-fires, tsunamis, tornadoes and earthquakes – are occurring more frequently and with greater intensity. These events damage and destroy homes and communities causing physical, mental and financial suffering.
Responding to such catastrophes includes providing support for victims and communities, action to provide temporary shelter and services, policies and plans to replace housing and to rebuild and support people and communities. There is also a need to adapt and develop new designs and construction techniques, building resilient housing and neighbourhoods.
Aims
This international conference aims to provide a platform to review and discuss the experience of extreme events and each stage of the ‘life-cycle’ following these. It presents an opportunity to compare approaches to each stage; and focus on the health aspects of housing and communities. In particular, it will provide a forum for reviewing evidence on responses to extreme events: dealing with the aftermath, providing social, cultural and health support and reconstructing lives and communities and gives a place based perspective to community resilience.
Who should attend?
Individuals and bodies directly and indirectly involved in housing and health, and in predicting and responding to all forms of extreme events, including housing professionals; medical doctors; public health professionals; sociologists; meteorologists and first responders.
Format & Agenda
This will be an international virtual event, consisting of a half day session setting out the conference ambitions; a full day of good practice presentations and thematic workshops and a final half day summarising what we have learnt and still need to learn. The event will be recorded, leading to the production of a conference report.
For more information on the speakers and session content for Days 1-3 of the conference, .
Day 1 Agenda (April 8 2025): 14:00 - 17:00 GMT - Setting the Context
All session times (GMT) | Speakers / Chair of Session
Chair: Dr. Steve Battersby
Support plus Q&A support on Day 1: Zena Lynch (Associate Prof. (Hon))
- 14:00: Welcome
- 14:10 (09.10 US Time): Welcome Address - Prof. David Hannah, key sponsors thanked by Zena Lynch
- 14:35 (15.35 CEST): Keynote Speaker 130 minutes, plus 10 minutes time for questions
- 15:25: Break
- 15:40 (16.40 CEST): Keynote Speaker 230 minutes, plus 10 minutes time for questions
- 16:20 (17.20 South Africa): Keynote Speaker 330 minutes, plus 10 minutes time for questions
- 17:00: Close of session and arrangements for Day 2
Speakers:
Professor David M. Hannah - Deputy Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Sustainability), University 麻豆精选, Director 麻豆精选 Institute for Sustainability and Climate Action UNESCO Chair in Water Science
Dr. David Jacobs Chief Scientist - US National Center for Healthy Housing
Dr. Nathalie Roebbel - Lead on Urban Health, World Health Organisation
Professor Paloma Taltavull de la Paz - Department of Applied Economics, University of Alicante
Dr. Michael Agenbag - Senior Lecturer/Community Service Co-ordinator (Environmental Health), Cape Peninsula University of Technology
Day 2 Agenda (April 9 2025): 9am - 4pm GMT - Submitted Case Studies and Papers
All session times (GMT) | Speakers / Chair of Session
Chairs: Dr. Gill Leng and Dr Jon Stevens
AM Sessions
Attendees to join central webinar, with options to move between the following breakout rooms. For more information on the speakers and session content, .
Parallel Sessions A: Immediate/Urgent Response (Including preparedness for first response, shelter, medical care, food and water, sanitation and refuse, pests, contamination)
09.25–12.00 GMT with 30-minute break
OR
Parallel Sessions B: Temporary Stabilising/Short Term Responses (Including accommodation, infrastructure, personal health and social support, environmental health, planning for services)
- 09.25–12.00 GMT with 30-minute break
PM Sessions
Attendees to join central webinar, with options to move between the following breakout rooms. For more information on the speakers and session content, .
Parallel Sessions C: Medium Term Responses (Including planning for reconstructing housing and homes, neighbourhoods, and communities)
- 13.25–16.30 with 20-minute break.
OR
Parallel Sessions D: Longer Term Responses (Including longer term rebuilding and reconstruction of housing and physical and social infrastructure)
- 13.25–16.30 with 20-minute break
- Close of session and Q&A led by Dr Gill Leng (Chair)
OR
Parallel Sessions E: Preventing and Preparing for extreme events (Including planning for and developing resilience to extreme events)
- 13.25–16.30 with 20-minute break
- Close of session and Q&A led by Dr Jade Lewis (Chair)
Day 3 Agenda (April 10 2025): 10am - 1pm GMT – Future Proofing
Chair: Dr. Richard Turkington, FRSASupport: Gill Leng
- 10:00: Welcome
- 10:10 (19.10 Melbourne Aus): Keynote Speaker 1
- 10:55 (11.55 SA): Keynote Speaker 2
- 11:40 (06.40 NY USA): Keynote Speaker 3
- 12:25 (07.25 NY USA): Round up and close of conference
Speakers:
- Dr. Angie Bone - Associate Professor, Monash University
- Professor Caradee Wright - Chief Specialist Scientist: Environment and Health Research Unit, South African Medical Council
- Dr. Marilyn Black - Vice President and Senior Technical Advisor, Chemical Insights Research Institute of UL Research Institutes
- Dr. David JacobsChief Scientist, US National Center for Healthy Housing
- Dr. Richard Turkington, FRSA
Conference registration
You can register your interest in the conference here: