Open concept is all the rage, but in case of an earthquake, you may wish you had a few more walls. According to recent research the differences in older home bracing and support that make exist when a homebuyer elects to remove a wall can put the entire structure at risk when an earthquake hits. The open spaces or larger windows at one side of the house can contain “a mixture of different seismic resisting systems” in a home, resulting in a significant difference in shift in different sections of the same home, says Angela Liu from the Building Research Association. The research will help guide new regulations for residential builders and engineers.
Read the full article here: Modern, open plan houses ‘do worse in quakes’ – One News | TVNZ