Re-Building Ecuador's Pacific Coast

An official of Ecuador's Geophysical Institute says the country has learned nothing from the April 2016 7.8-magnitude earthquake.

Leo Yepes, assistant director of the agency, says re-building in the earthquake areas is taking place in the absence of national laws requiring earthquake-safety in construction.

Chile and Japan passed such laws, says Yepes.  He says it's sad and irresponsible that Ecuador has not.

Source: The Quito newspaper El Comercio, reported at cuencahighlife.com

I for one was very concerned after Manabi's earthquake last year. I agree that there should be required safety methods in construction used and that's one reason I bought at Las Olas. They have gone above and beyond normal safety protocol.  All homes at Las Olas on the coast near Bahia have several 12 meter piers anchoring them as well as Hormi2 construction which has been a successful and proven construction method used in areas of natural disasters (i.e. Hurricanes, earthquakes). If you are not familiar with the method, read this excerpt below:
"All homes at Las Olas will be constructed using an innovative building technique called Hormi2 construction. Hormi2 has been used to construct homes, condominiums, and office buildings across the world for over 30 years. By choosing Hormi2, Las Olas will be able to ensure the quality of construction is maintained at the highest levels of quality and consistency. Hormi2 also allows Las Olas to reduce the construction time of your home.

What is Hormi2?

Hormi2 3

Hormi2 is a modern reinforced concrete construction system formed by modular panels. These panels are made of polystyrene a material that is highly acoustic. The system came into existence through the Italian brand Emmedue in conjunction with Mutulista Pichincha in Ecuador which became known as PANECONS. This system has been approved and used for the past 30 years with 54 locations in 5 continents. Their mission is to create products in the area of construction that offers safety, comfort, quality, and are economic with low environmental impact.

What are the advantages of Hormi2?

Seismoresistant

It’s a system that works seismoresistant, like a box where all the elements of walls and slabs support the quake.

Thermal Insulation

It is a thermal insulator because it uses expanded polystyrene panels which maintains its comfortable and stable temperatures.

Sound Insulation

Isolates the sound as it contains a material that absorbs high frequency, low, and medium.  Providing an undisturbed environment.

Safe

Due to the fact that it becomes reinforced concrete walls, they cannot be destroyed in case of vandalism, theft, or fire.

What are the construction advantages of Hormi2?

The Hormi2 system offers several advantages for Las Olas. Time saving, cost reduction, quality of construction, solidity, earthquake resistant, durability, versatility, thermal, sound insulation, and ease of use being applicable in all types of construction.

Lightweight

Using an expanded polystyrene core, the m2 of the panel weighs 6 kg/m2 making it easy for maneuverability and handling, and deep evacuations are not performed.

Constructive Speed

The system can save up to 40% on down time. hormi2 4

Easy construction

It’s an easy system of transportation and installation. It improves performance of personnel, and there is a reduction of specialized personnel. Moreover, in the construction process does not require pricking or resurfacing.

Resistant

Having a steel mesh welded to each side, after each are coated with a micro concrete, the system offers a high resistance that transmits security and strength to be a seismoresistant spatial structure.

Versatile

Fits any constructive detail, regardless of architecture, giving the builder diverse applications, even in difficult operating conditions or in adverse weather conditions.

Saving materials

Provides significant savings by reducing the use of formwork, wood, structure, nails, etc., which contributes directly to lower housing costs.

Cleaning work

Considerably reduces the evacuation of waste and garbage generated, making it a cleaner work.

Low time investment

The speed of construction allows the work to be delivered in less time, which also allows the recovery of money faster."

Excerpt copied from lasolasecuador.com see site for more info. Also hormi2 has a site as well as interesting videos on their product.

As devastating as the quake was on the infrastructure, lets not forget lives were lost, buildings can be replaced...

This is misleading.

The Coast is rather a large area. The area devastated was in southern Esmeralda's through northern Manta.

From mid Manta and  Puerto Lopez south through all of Santa Elena province which includes Montañita, Ayangue, and Salinas and on through Guayas with Playas and south, there was no affect on the coastal structure. And of course the Galapagos.

The only affect on our tourism  was poorly written media reports like this one.

And that affects coastal economy.

If you want to help the coast, come visit and enjoy our beaches.
We'd love to welcome you back and the water is beautiful as is the weather.

Susan

I live in Tonsupa.
Compared to the time immediate to the local earthquakes (December 2016), Tonsupa has managed to regain popularity, slowly recovering to normal activities.
Visitors and sun-bath seekers are returning  to enjoy the beaches and weather.
Lots of rebuilding taking place.
Locals will welcome you with open arms. Plenty of fairly priced accommodation available.

MM