5 ms·

Haven't people (e.g. Japanese) been doing this for thousands of years?

VLM 11y ago
Its a peculiarly composite article in that the first half is about the cool advantages of several new technologies that conceptually boil down to extremely high quality and strength bulk plywood, so you can have a 12 inch structural beam that's 40 feet long, etc. This is new technology and it usually takes building codes awhile to accept new technology. Every line of a building code was written on a stack of dead bodies, changing codes is a very serious business. The second half of the article is completely unrelated, just interior decorating fashion is going thru its periodic fascination with finished wood a-la knotty pine wall paneling mancaves in the 1970s. There's nothing wrong with it although all those interior finishes could be done with veneer on metal or various faux processes having nothing to do with the first half of the article.
- officialchicken 11y ago
  > This is new technology and it usually takes building codes awhile to accept new technology You just need a UL rating (or UL assembly rating) to integrate new technology into your building... you can look it up in the IBC. Usually manufacturers are required to UL rate their building products. The only time I've had a client willing to pay for it was one who wanted to do a building made of shipping containers they had for free and that was at least 10 years ago. The containers were never tested, but UL was able to supply enough docs to satisfy the reviewers prior to permitting.
skybrian 11y ago
It appears that houses in Japan are usually not built to last: http://www.psmag.com/business-economics/inside-japans-disposable-home-market-88133 http://www.psmag.com/business-economics/inside-japans-dispos...
- astrange 11y ago
  Wooden houses in Japan can last for a very long time when they want to: http://whc.unesco.org/pg.cfm?cid=31&id_site=734 http://whc.unesco.org/pg.cfm?cid=31&id_site=734 On the other hand there's Ise shrine, which is indeed not built to last, and only 3 years old at the moment. It's been torn down and rebuilt the same way every 20 years since the 600s to keep it looking new.

VLM 11y ago

Its a peculiarly composite article in that the first half is about the cool advantages of several new technologies that conceptually boil down to extremely high quality and strength bulk plywood, so you can have a 12 inch structural beam that's 40 feet long, etc. This is new technology and it usually takes building codes awhile to accept new technology. Every line of a building code was written on a stack of dead bodies, changing codes is a very serious business. The second half of the article is completely unrelated, just interior decorating fashion is going thru its periodic fascination with finished wood a-la knotty pine wall paneling mancaves in the 1970s. There's nothing wrong with it although all those interior finishes could be done with veneer on metal or various faux processes having nothing to do with the first half of the article.

officialchicken 11y ago
> This is new technology and it usually takes building codes awhile to accept new technology You just need a UL rating (or UL assembly rating) to integrate new technology into your building... you can look it up in the IBC. Usually manufacturers are required to UL rate their building products. The only time I've had a client willing to pay for it was one who wanted to do a building made of shipping containers they had for free and that was at least 10 years ago. The containers were never tested, but UL was able to supply enough docs to satisfy the reviewers prior to permitting.

skybrian 11y ago

It appears that houses in Japan are usually not built to last: http://www.psmag.com/business-economics/inside-japans-disposable-home-market-88133 http://www.psmag.com/business-economics/inside-japans-dispos...

astrange 11y ago
Wooden houses in Japan can last for a very long time when they want to: http://whc.unesco.org/pg.cfm?cid=31&id_site=734 http://whc.unesco.org/pg.cfm?cid=31&id_site=734 On the other hand there's Ise shrine, which is indeed not built to last, and only 3 years old at the moment. It's been torn down and rebuilt the same way every 20 years since the 600s to keep it looking new.