A wood-framed house isn’t necessarily weaker than a brick house.
Wood is pliable and doesn’t suddenly crumble and collapse when it’s stressed. And it weighs WAY less when it does fail.
If you’re in a tornado or earthquake, would you rather be trapped beneath 120 pounds of sheetrock, insulation, and shingles or a 2 tons of broken, jagged rock?
A wood-framed house isn’t necessarily weaker than a brick house.
Wood is pliable and doesn’t suddenly crumble and collapse when it’s stressed. And it weighs WAY less when it does fail.
If you’re in a tornado or earthquake, would you rather be trapped beneath 120 pounds of sheetrock, insulation, and shingles or a 2 tons of broken, jagged rock?
I’ve heard ICF (insulated concrete foam) construction is pretty durable.