Climate and Natural Disasters

Smart Houses Could Help Buildings Better Withstand Earthquakes

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By Dolphine Chen/Isabel Wang

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Earthquakes are a constant risk across much of the Asia-Pacific region but new engineering technologies could help reduce their impact. In an interview with Zoom In Zoom Out, Tony Yang of the University of British Columbia discusses how advances in smart housing, new construction materials, dampers, isolators and sensor-based systems can make buildings more resilient to earthquakes and strong winds. Yang also highlighted the need to build housing more quickly and sustainably as the world's population grows, while emphasizing the importance of evaluating and retrofitting older buildings that may be vulnerable to seismic activity.