“A strong, durable, safe house that enhances quality of life” is the core necessity for home builders in Thailand, especially after the major earthquake in Myanmar that damaged buildings across several Thai provinces. Beyond earthquake threats, ongoing issues like noise pollution, heat, and PM 2.5 dust continue to disrupt Thai people’s lives.
SCG HEIM houses are known as premium homes with outstanding strength, durability, cleanliness, and safety that address residents’ quality of life needs. What many people may not realize is that SCG HEIM houses can withstand earthquake vibrations or acceleration forces exceeding 1,200 gal* – a capability that perfectly addresses Thai people’s needs following earthquake experiences.
The distinctive features of SCG HEIM houses result from collaboration between SCG and Sekisui, a Japanese housing production and construction expert company, established since 2010. Sekisui has brought expertise and modular technology innovation – prefabricated housing produced by robots in factories – enabling excellent quality control for joining, connecting, and assembly processes while maintaining construction timelines. The building system seals all gaps in the house, including doors, windows, and walls with high-quality sealants before installation at the actual site as a complete house.
What makes SCG HEIM houses special?
“About 60 HEIM homeowners, out of the current 1,500 homes, contacted our team to inspect potential structural damage after the recent earthquake. Our HEIM engineering team conducted inspections and found that none of the houses sustained any damage,” said Mr. Masatoshi Kifuji, Managing Director of SEKISUI-SCG INDUSTRY Co., Ltd.
The Managing Director of Sekisui explained that SCG HEIM houses have three key advantages: 1) Factory-produced homes with a “Rahmen Structure” – a robust structural system from Japan. The factory production of house components allows precise quality control and construction timeline management. 2) Factory production enables the incorporation of various innovations enhancing house quality, such as the unique Air Tightness System of SCG HEIM that keeps indoor air clean, reduces PM2.5 dust and pathogens, improving residents’ health. The design and specific material selections help reduce external noise, with sealed joints allowing residents to rest fully. The system can connect with the Air Factory System for air circulation, providing excellent indoor air quality, even though Thai people typically prefer opening their houses to outside air. 3) After-sales service with a 20-year warranty, including expert team visits to check houses regularly at years 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 10, 15, and 20.
Creating High-Strength Connections to Reduce Vibrations
Regarding earthquake resistance, the most crucial aspect during factory construction is the connection points, as insufficient connection strength would cause tearing. SCG HEIM uses a modular system with robots performing the connecting and assembly functions, with continuous welding quality testing, resulting in truly strong and durable work.
Mr. Kifuji emphasized that SCG HEIM houses can withstand acceleration forces from vibrations safely at more than 1,200 gal. Comparing with the recent Myanmar earthquake, vibration forces measured at the earthquake epicenter in Mandalay were 1,200 gal, in Chiang Rai 220 gal, and in Bangkok 75 gal. “One HEIM unit, which is a rectangular box structure, can withstand vibration forces of 1,200 gal. When multiple units are combined, the resistance to vibration forces increases even further,” Kifuji explained.
Adapting Japanese technology and expertise for Thailand has involved adjusting materials, heights, and thicknesses appropriately. For example, in Japan with hard soil, foundation piles go 2-3 meters deep, while in Bangkok’s soft soil, they must extend approximately 20 meters deep, depending on house size, while maintaining Sekisui’s quality standards. Structural unit errors are virtually non-existent due to continuous inspection at each work stage. Another distinctive feature of SCG HEIM houses is the foundation’s space that allows convenient access for inspection and maintenance without disassembling any parts.
Enhancing House Efficiency Through Innovation
SCG HEIM house construction is clearly divided into two parts. First, the house structure produced entirely in the factory before being transported for on-site assembly, taking about 6-7 days, and the on-site assembly taking another 1-2 days or more depending on house size. The second part is foundation work, carried out simultaneously. In total, excluding coordination time, design selection, all construction for one house takes approximately 6-7 months.
Beyond factory-produced house structures, Mr. Kifuji also mentioned various innovations that can be additionally installed in HEIM houses, such as the Thermal & Sound Insulated System with heat-resistant materials installed on roofs and exterior walls that provide both sound and heat insulation; Earth Leakage Circuit Breaker that prevents electrical leakage and can isolate specific rooms or areas; and Leakage-Free Bathroom System with waterproofing installed under bathroom floors to prevent water seepage.
Mr. Ekapol Limsoontornkul, Factory Director of SEKISUI-SCG INDUSTRY Co., Ltd. stated that currently, SCG HEIM houses come in 5 series and 5 models with starting prices of 5.8-5.9 million baht. The price depends on house size, design style, and material quality that homeowners can select themselves. Homeowners need not worry about escalating construction budgets because 80 percent of the main structure is factory-built by robots. All technicians are well-trained, and quality inspection teams thoroughly check every step. Work will be completed according to the agreed budget and timeline.
Published on: May 9, 2025
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