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So, while its a serious situation for those involved, I'm not sure that typical American construction would have as much damage as the stone built houses in Italy due to a 6.8 earthquake as they had this morning, so possibly the entire premise of the OP is flawed.
I know some of you may not care for this but I am watching "Keeping Up With the Kardashians" and Kanye West & Kim are building a Mansion made out of wood in California !
I think many Europeans would consider this way to build a house ridiculous and fake. Wooden walls with plastic wrapping, exterior siding with PVC Stones sticked on the wall to gave the house a false look of solidity. Stapled asphalt cardboard shingles for the roof. Window elements that seem so lightweight that a single builder can handle them easily. PVC flooring in tile optic for the bathrooms. Poorly attached electrical sockets. And plasterboard on the walls, on the ceilings, just everywhere. And the drywall is just painted. No wallpapers? And the insulation just consists of a little bit insulation material in the hollows of the exterior walls. And this insulation layer is broken by installations such as power lines.
I don't think that the construction method is per se bad, it's ok for a temporary building. But it's horrible for the price that such a house cost. Such a house maybe seems reasonable priced for the size of the house, but considering the quality? I think it's completely overpriced. A facade out of plastic? that's so ridiculous. And asphalt roof shingles for a human dwelling? Our small bird-house in the garden has asphalt roof shingles
I think many Europeans would consider this way to build a house ridiculous and fake. Wooden walls with plastic wrapping, exterior siding with PVC Stones sticked on the wall to gave the house a false look of solidity. Stapled asphalt cardboard shingles for the roof. Window elements that seem so lightweight that a single builder can handle them easily. PVC flooring in tile optic for the bathrooms. Poorly attached electrical sockets. And plasterboard on the walls, on the ceilings, just everywhere. And the drywall is just painted. No wallpapers? And the insulation just consists of a little bit insulation material in the hollows of the exterior walls. And this insulation layer is broken by installations such as power lines.
I don't think that the construction method is per se bad, it's ok for a temporary building. But it's horrible for the price that such a house cost. Such a house maybe seems reasonable priced for the size of the house, but considering the quality? I think it's completely overpriced. A facade out of plastic? that's so ridiculous. And asphalt roof shingles for a human dwelling? Our small bird-house in the garden has asphalt roof shingles
Shoddy quality all around. Such a horrible way of building a house, even the attention to detail was lacking badly.
Definitely a temporary shelter at best, but for a house to last 50 years? Yeah right. There is nothing "solid" about that piece of crap home *Cough* I mean shack.
So, while its a serious situation for those involved, I'm not sure that typical American construction would have as much damage as the stone built houses in Italy due to a 6.8 earthquake as they had this morning, so possibly the entire premise of the OP is flawed.
Wooden structures are some of the best to have in an earthquake. Stone, concrete and brick some of the worst unless they've had retrofitting done or are newly built to meet earthquake building codes. Unlikely that any small Italian villages would have buildings retrofitted for earthquakes as it would be cost prohibitive.
I know some of you may not care for this but I am watching "Keeping Up With the Kardashians" and Kanye West & Kim are building a Mansion made out of wood in California !
Seriously?
...I'm curious. What would you suggest in California?
I don't think that wood is a bad building material. A passive house is normally made out of wood. Wood insulated much better than bricks or concrete. But it has to be build properly, surely not with 2 x 4 studs and planked with just plasterboard.
In Germany most houses are build in massive construction. Mostly limestones and the ceilings and some wall elements are made out of reinforced concrete. The roof truss is normally wooden (solid timber).
We have also prefabricated houses. But the wall thickness is about 30-40cm. The supporting timber frame construction is 6cm x 20cm and not 3.8cm x 8.9cm (2x4 studs) like in most houses in the U.S.
Are the walls in a typical American house from the inside really just planked with plasterboard? without an additional particle board between the timber frame construction and the plasterboard? If someone kicks with some force against the wall, is there then a whole in the wall?
Many houses today are mass produced. Get the houses up as quickly as possible and made for as cheaply as possible. It is all about profit. It is the same thing on all those "flip" shows.
Older houses were made with pride. They took longer to make and the craftsmanship that went into them really shows.
I've spent a lot of time in Europe. Houses there are built with roofs that last 50-75 years. Floors are usually solid wood, marble, or stone. All interior doors are made with solid wood. Walls are more solid feeling (knock on a wall here in the US and it sounds hollow). However, things like plumbing and insulation are very similar. American homes might even have better insulation.
Some people think that because many European homes are hundreds of years old, they are better built. I suppose it's true. But even the newer homes in Europe are build better. I rented a house in France that was built in the 1950s and it had all of the features I mentioned above.
Even the $500,000 home that my friend's parents bought doesn't feel as sturdy as the crappy studio I rented in Paris years back.
Why are construction methods so different between the US and other parts of the world?
Europe doesn't have the wood resources that North America has, so they use a lot of concrete and clay tile in their construction. Exterior walls are typically concrete block with a stucco finish, floors are precast concrete set in by crane. Plumbers and electricians just use concrete saws to make holes wherever they need them. They use a different reinforcing system, with steel mesh embedded in the mortar rather than rebar and bond beams. Europe has lots of coal and limestone, so that is what they build with. Yes, the walls sound solid because they are concrete.
Both styles of construction have advantages and disadvantages. It is very difficult to remodel or expand concrete houses, and they are more likely to collapse in an earthquake. OTOH, they are not subject to dry rot or termites, and other than losing the roof, they are more likely to stand in a tornado or hurricane. As you note, wood framed houses are easier to insulate. The best insulation for a concrete structure is on the outside of the concrete, then covered with siding or stucco, but that recesses the windows 6" to 8", and requires more expensive insulation and more labor.
From time to time in the US you will find earth sheltered homes that are very solid, but nearly impossible to remodel. Once the walls are in, that's where they sit forever. If you need another bedroom, build another house.
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Stones sticked on the wall to gave the house a false look of solidity. Stapled asphalt cardboard shingles for the roof. Window elements that seem so lightweight that a single builder can handle them easily. PVC flooring in tile optic for the bathrooms. Poorly attached electrical sockets. And plasterboard on the walls, on the ceilings, just everywhere. And the drywall is just painted. No wallpapers? And the insulation just consists of a little bit insulation material in the hollows of the exterior walls. And this insulation layer is broken by installations such as power lines. 
