Great news for members who live in earthquake prone areas. Spanish researchers have developed a new system of do it yourself home construction which is inexpensive and earthquake reistant. Given the soaring cost of home building in the US, I see no reason why this wouldn't also attract new homebuilders and green innovators in areas such as California.

New Inexpensive Earthquake Resistant Houses

...a new construction system, Integral Masonry System (IMS). The results of these tests proved that once a house is built with this stable permanent system without significant cracks and once its cracks are repaired, the building is able to continue resisting severe earthquakes.

This system (IMS) uses prefabricated trusses made with steel rods, very light and easy to install by hand, intersecting in the three directions of space to build the walls and floors that are then filled with debris, mud, brick or block for walls. The system can incorporate only a plank on the slab to give rigidity.