In 2021 alone, 15 earthquakes of a magnitude of 6 or higher have struck our planet, from offshore Alaska to August's devastating earthquake in Haiti. In California, builders are finding innovative methods to prevent disastrous losses from these often catastrophic events.

A recent project by McCarthy Building Companies and design architect NBBJ is the world's first building to use base isolators atop springs to absorb ground motion during an earthquake. The newly completed Loma Linda University Medical Center is the largest hospital project in California by square footage and sits within close proximity to major earthquake faults. To ensure the 16-story medical center met California's strict seismic standards, the firms placed the structure atop 126 base isolators, each weighing nearly 10 tons and designed to help keep the building as still as possible.