The house journal

Construction & engineering

The substance of our operations: seismic, humidity, drainage, sea salt, snow, insulation, maintenance — the engineering that protects value over time.

Building in seismic zones: what the codes require, from Bali to Europe

In Indonesia, seismic building design is governed by standard SNI 1726:2019, built on the 2017 national seismic hazard map; in Europe, by Eurocode 8 (EN 1998). Both rest on the same principles: a site-specific response spectrum, soil classification, structural regularity and ductility requirements. An earthquake-resistant building is not a heavier building — it is one that dissipates energy without collapsing.

16 August 20263 min readChecked 16 August 2026

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Construction & engineering

Humidity, salt, drainage: the three adversaries of an oceanfront build

In the tropics, it is not the spectacular that damages a building — it is the permanent: persistently high relative humidity, chloride-laden sea spray corroding steel, and monsoon rains that only properly sized drainage can absorb. European standards classify marine chloride exposure in dedicated classes (XS), which govern concrete cover and mix design.

16 August 20263 min readChecked 16 August 2026

Construction & engineering

Building in the mountains: snow is calculated, cold is designed for

In Europe, roof snow load is not an estimate: it is calculated under Eurocode 1 (EN 1991-1-3), from zone maps and site altitude — decisive in the Principality of Andorra, where building above 1,000 metres is routine. Beyond load come freeze-thaw cycles, which test materials, and the energy requirements specific to mountains: insulation, airtightness, thermal bridge management.

16 August 20263 min readChecked 16 August 2026