Sri Lanka needs to follow Nepal in earthquake sustainable building construction - National Building Research Organization

R.M.S. Bandara, the chief of the earth slips research section of the National Building Research Organization, says that time is ripe to Sri Lanka to study the building reinforcement methods followed by the other countries that were not considered as threatened with earthquakes.

He said that there were no programmes in Sri Lanka to reinforce buildings so as to bear the shockwaves of the earthquakes. Sri Lanka awoke for the threat only after the shocks of the recent earthquake was felt by many parts of the island.

He said Sri Lanka needs to consider the sustainability in earthquakes in building construction.

The official highlighted Nepal as an example. What Nepal does is worth to study. I found this piece from a paper that was available in internet. "For safe and affordable housing, less material and hence, less dead load and appropriate technology, should be the criteria. Pre-cast slabs, pre-stressed hollow core slabs for horizontal structural members and high strength R.C. columns and wall elements of light weight concrete blocks for vertical members, without loosing aesthetics of the building and of simple configuration may be the answer." (Sustainable Building Design and Construction in Nepal with reference to Urban Housing: Issues and Proposed Measures. - Manohar Rajbhandari, Nepal)

These sites may also contain some valuable information.
National Society for Earthquake Technology - Nepal 
Earthquake risk reduction and recovery preparedness programme for Nepal
Straw houses for poor countries : cheap and earthquake prepared

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