LaHouse is a display of high-performance building practices to create more sustainable, resilient and healthy homes in the gulf region. The research-based facility is located on LSU's Baton Rouge campus and displays home-building techniques and solutions for Louisiana's unique climate. LaHouse is open weekdays from 10 am to 4:30 p.m. for self-guided tours or can be toured completely virtually.
Experience the Lahouse via virtual tour
Exterior insulation and finish system or EIFS is an exterior cladding system made from a composite material that provides the exterior with an insulated finished surface and makes them waterproof. This system includes an adhesive, insulation board, mechanical fasteners, base coat, and finish coat.
Additionally, energy-efficient thermal wrapping or facade insulation can be applied to the exterior surfaces of a building for added benefits.
The stucco assembly is an enhanced traditional stucco system that can be configured as a back ventilated or dead air cavity wall cladding system. The system contains a rain screen, a drainage cavity that captures moisture and drains it to the exterior, and a permeable air barrier, which not only protects against air infiltration into the interior but also guards against liquid moisture intrusion and allows for water vapor diffusion.
Drainage wraps work behind claddings to channel bulk water away from the wall assembly but let water vapor pass through.
Weep screed, used along the base of an exterior stucco wall, is a vent that lets moisture out of the stucco wall finish above the foundation to prevent moisture issues within the home.
Architectural Diagram of drainable 3-coat cement stucco
The LSU AgCenter and the LSU College of Agriculture