01-18-2010, 10:27 AM
The October '06 earthquake damaged older P&P buildings in the Kohala districts, and some of the reported damage was to materials stored beneath P&P buildings that moved off their piers (one guy lost his business equipment & truck....), it also damaged monolith structions (like stone churches & the palace) and damaged some concrete (more reports of slabs separated than a slab cracking on that EQ) That motion was a oceanic plate 'snapping' due to weight, with some frictional plate slide (like CA) motion.
Our house slab was built before the '75 earthquake and has no damage from that one.... we also have had no mass intrusion of large insects (do get those micro ants.... but most of them are coming in through the screens.... ) The most important way to keep bugs out is to try to eliminate the entry points (as you would if you were in a colder climate & wanted to eliminate cold air intrusion.) We chose the house based on the location & not the construction type... we do not have mold/mildew problems, but that is more due to the fact that we have a structure that has very little potential for mold/mildew to grow....
No matter what building system you use, make sure it is done well, and it should stand up to much of what this island throws at it...
Our house slab was built before the '75 earthquake and has no damage from that one.... we also have had no mass intrusion of large insects (do get those micro ants.... but most of them are coming in through the screens.... ) The most important way to keep bugs out is to try to eliminate the entry points (as you would if you were in a colder climate & wanted to eliminate cold air intrusion.) We chose the house based on the location & not the construction type... we do not have mold/mildew problems, but that is more due to the fact that we have a structure that has very little potential for mold/mildew to grow....
No matter what building system you use, make sure it is done well, and it should stand up to much of what this island throws at it...