Handbook on Good Building Design and Construction: Aceh and Nias Islands

This Handbook is made to provide simple information to house owners, house designers and builders, and building monitors to teach principles of good design and good construction in a natural hazard prone area. Thoroughly studied, they will also guide on whether to repair or rebuild damaged houses. The descriptions are followed by a code of minimum standards for construction of houses in Aceh and Nias Islands.

Since many concepts are not easy to describe, the hand- book contains pictures to facilitate understanding.The photographs have all been taken of construction practices in the reconstruction of Aceh and Nias since the great Tsunami and earthquake of 26 December 2004 and the second major earthquake of 28 March 2005.Aceh, Nias and nearby islands, and other areas along the west coast of Sumatra, are earthquake and tsunami prone, and are also subject to flooding due to sudden downpours of rain. The principles of this book are
designed to minimize vulnerability to these natural hazards. In an area that is prone to earthquakes, not only principles of design are important, but also principles of construction, since the best designed house, which has been well covered and painted, may hide serious structural defects in the construction. These defects may lead to serious injury and death, and loss of property, when the forces of nature strike the house. Let us develop a culture of safety in all our buildings, not just doing the minimum and the cheapest, but building houses that will safeguard families and assets in times of emergency.