

Ah, yes, good ole ignorant jingoism.
You probably don’t know that code in Florida has required concrete reinforced cinder block 1st floor for residential houses since the 90’'s, because that’s what can withstand hurricanes and flooding. Typical block construction only requires concrete and rebar reinforcement at windows, doorways, etc, while this code requires it in every other opening, thereby tying every course together, from first to last. This prevents flood surges from weakening the structure, and also provides a physical barrier for objects flying at 100mph+.
Code has also required hurricane straps on every rafter, since forever.
There’s probably a lot more code I don’t know.
But here you’d have them build houses out of stone which wouldn’t withstand flooding, unlike reinforced and anchored block, cause in your hubris you think you know something.


As an example, I once lived in a brick house in the southwest. A true brick house, built in the 1930’s so EVERY wall was 3 or 4 courses of brick - 18".
The west-facing wall would bake all afternoon and then radiate that heat all night long. During the summer months that wall never cooled off, it was always warm (80°+).
Winter it was nice, but summer it was a bitch cooling that place at all.