just some thoughts ...
In my former home tome in the Czech Republic, (several hundred years ago houses, and smaller buildings used to be wood. But probably around 400 years ago, people mostly switched to stone and brick construction probably because wood was harder to find.

My 87 year old great aunt lives in a 500 year old stone house. They usually built two stone walls and filled the space with lime and rubble
(walls are 3-4ft thick) OVer the centuries they have become very strong
and the thickness of the walls, keeps them cool in the summer and warm in the winter.

The more modern houses would be built with cinder block construction
and stucco finish..
BUt when I mention to my Czech relatives that in Vancouver its pretty much all woodframe construction, they often like the idea..thinking that home renovation would be easier with wood frame construction.

I like the idea of cob houses and straw bale construction - although it seems that there are no real building codes for these materials.