Buildings with the Highest Earthquake Resistance

All of the Holz100 buildings in Japan have survived the severe earthquake of Fukushima 2011 undamaged.

"We cannot stop natural disasters but we can arm ourselves with knowledge." - Petra Nemcova

As a reality to many countries and regions of the world, we must think about earthquake resistance when building a house. Holz100, among other building systems, has the highest earthquake resistance.

You find the oldest wooden buildings on earth in Japan, a region well-known for its earthquakes. Temples and pagodas up to six stories high were built without glue or metal and have survived the worst earthquakes for the past 1,600 years! Holz100 uses the same principle and it is not surprising that Holz100 homes easily fulfill the Japanese earthquake building standards which are the tightest and strictest in the world. By now, there are many Holz100 buildings in Japan which have already survived several earthquakes intact; one of which rated 8 on the Richter scale.

Holz100 is a method which brings together old traditional knowledge and modern technology. It provides protection and safety for people living in Holz100 houses. 12 years ago, the idea to build the most ecological house using untreated wood was ridiculed and looked down upon as a joke. Today, there are various established Holz100 manufacturers in Austria, Germany, and Norway. Furthermore, preparations for manufacturers in the United States and other countries are underway.

The Holz100 system is not absolutely "rigid". Due to the wall construction made of dowelled parts, flexibility is obtained in the case of an earthquake which has an extraordinary resistance to horizontal accelerations occurring during an earthquake.

By now, many then-unimaginable buildings have been built with untreated and natural wood including more than 1000 homes, large hotels in Italy, Austria and Norway, health clinics, hospitals, schools, mountain lodges, childcare centers, the University for Forestry and Timber in Oslo, and sacred buildings like churches in Japan. Working in tune with nature results in building the best houses where people feel comfort, safety and therefore stay healthy for many years to come.