It depends entirely on the climate. If you need to build to withstand hurricanes, you build cement walls around wood and cement houses. If you live in the desert, you build with adobe. Wood works well for the Pacific Northwest, stucco doesn't.

Structural engineers are constantly working on this problem. The emphasis is now on sustainable buildings using environmentally sound materials and systems.

This is another 'poverty' issue. Trailers and mobile homes are not the safest type of housing but it is affordable. Stucco in the Pacific Northwest is a disaster but its cheap and looks good for a couple of years. Stone is absolutely gorgeous but it is labour intensive and costs a fortune.