The work is concerned with an investigation of the advantages stemming from the use of lightweight aggregate concrete in earthquake-resistant reinforced concrete construction. As the aseismic clauses of current codes make no reference to lightweight aggregate concrete beams made of lightweight aggregate concrete but designed in accordance with the code specifications for normal weight aggregate concrete, together with beams made from the latter material, are tested under load mimicking seismic action. The results obtained show that beam behaviour is essentially independent of the design method adopted, with the use of lightweight aggregate concrete being found to slightly improve the post-peak structural behaviour. When considering the significant reduction in deadweight resulting from the use of lightweight aggregate concrete, the results demonstrate that the use of this material will lead to significant savings without compromising the structural performance requirements of current codes.