The Journal
Guides, stories and answers for building a FRESH® home in Panama.
Foundations for Hillside Homes: Minimal-Impact Options That Still Last 50 Years
The foundation choices that actually matter on a sloped Panamanian lot — full slab, stepped slab, pier and grade beam, stilts —...
May 25, 2026Building on Uneven and Sloped Terrain in Panama: What Actually Works
A complete guide to building on hilly land in Panama — why so much good land is sloped, what cut-and-fill really costs,...
May 25, 2026Prefab Homes and Hurricane / Earthquake Resistance in Central America
A practical look at how steel-frame modular homes handle Central America's seismic activity, tropical storms and salt-laden wind — and how FRESH...
May 25, 2026Steel Frame vs Concrete: Which Lasts Longer in the Tropics?
An engineering-led look at how steel frame and concrete homes actually age in tropical conditions — corrosion, cracking, thermal mass, seismic flex,...
May 25, 2026What Is a "Kit of Parts" Home? Inside the FRESH Modular System
What a Kit of Parts home really is, what it isn't, and how the FRESH modular system goes together — from heavy-gauge...
May 25, 2026Earthquake-Resistant Home Design: What the Engineering Actually Looks Like
How earthquakes really damage homes, why steel-frame flex outperforms rigid block, and the seismic engineering FRESH developed with UTP for Panama's mountains...
May 25, 2026Climate-Resilient Homes for Panama: Sun, Salt, Storms and Seismic
A pillar guide to the four threats every Panama home faces — sun, salt, storms, seismic — and the engineering choices that...
May 25, 2026