What’s wrong with the way we build houses?

I’ve always wondered why houses in North America are so poorly built. Partially I think it’s because there is little or no oversight in many industries related to home building. Another is likely the poor design of houses in general. Why are homes not required to meet some form of standards when it comes to sustainability, and longevity? Why are builders still using asphalt shingles? In Vancouver, a known earthquake zone, many houses would be unusable after an earthquake. In Japan, an estimated 75% of houses are earthquake proof. But it’s not just this, it’s actually the process of building or renovating a house here that seems lacklustre. I have been thinking more about this since watching the video below, produced by Paolo from Tokyo Zebra. It really is amazing how well managed the site is – safe, efficient, clean – with a zero-waste policy. Japanese home building might be in the top echelon of home building. Imagine if we all adopted better building techniques, how much better our houses would be prepared for adversity.