Severe storms in non-cyclonic regions of Australia (e.g. Regions A and B as defined in AS/NZS1170.2) continue to cause damage to buildings, even for events less than the design wind speed.  Damage to parts of the building envelope that may not have been rated to resist the design wind speed or installed correctly, can produce high internal pressures and subsequent damage to the roof structure.  For example, failure of openings such as windows, doors and garage doors, or any fittings that keep them closed can lead to severe damage to the roof structure, due to the external pressure that was pushing on the windward wall suddenly entering the building via the broken opening and dramatically increasing the load on the roof. 

The information collected from damage investigations following severe wind events such as downbursts and thunderstorms in Wind Regions A and B, coupled with repair costs derived from insurance claims data, will be discussed.  The findings highlight the need for the collection of damage survey data, estimation of local (site) wind speeds, and building repair costs, to come together to provide cost benefit studies for informing changes to Australian Building Code and Standards.