Whenever you build, remodel or buy a home, you have the power of choice. Use this research-based guilde to take control of your investment and enjoy a high-performance home that offers so much more than shelter and style alone.

A research-based showcase of solutions and educational programs to help you shape the future with homes that offer MORE benefits with LESS ....

We have begun and will continue to build upon this Online Training Center to assist the Louisiana and Gulf Region construction infrastructure with building science, best practices and building code-based information and continuing education.

LaHouse resumes Open House free preview days on July 15 and following Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays....

Request more information about contributing to the Louisiana House Home & Landscape Resource Center

Charter Diamond, Platinum and Gold Key Contributors to LaHouse capital campaign may select and permanently dedicate a room or feature as an exclusive recognition opportunity (while available).

Look for ENERGY STAR appliances and compare Energy Guide labels...

Lighting can account for 15% of a home's yearly electric bill...

Air equalizes between higher and lower pressure areas- whether you want it to or not...

Important things to remember about the gulf region...

Heat moves three ways...

Find the water vapor balance...

Building systems that integrate the five criteria for Gulf Region Conditions.

Use this checklist to explore features and components of an energy efficient home in Louisiana.

The goal is safe and independent living for just about anyone....

Use this checklist to explore features and components of a hazard resistant home in Louisiana.

Use this checklist to explore and select features and components of a healthy home in Louisiana.

Use this checklist to explore features and components of a convenient, practical home in Louisiana.

Breathe easy inside...

Use this checklist to explore components and features of your sustainable Louisiana house.

Use this checklist to explore features and components of a durable home in Louisiana.

Follow design guidelines to make your home functional for life...

Use this checklist to explore and select features and components of an earth friendly home in Louisiana.

Benefits of low-maintence materials...

Consider advanced wiring and designing adaptable spaces....

More is not always better...

Building systems that integrate and balance the five criteria for a sustainable, high-performance home...

Use this checklist to explore features and components of your sustainable Louisiana house.

Every source of combustion in the home vented to the outdoors...

Don't let your own home make you sick...

Over the life of a product, more durable and longer-lasting options are usually a better option...

It's a good investment to go beyond minimum code requirements...

Use this checklist to explore features and components of your sustainable Louisiana house.

Avoid flood damage with the right design.

Prevent sewerage from backing up into your home...

The materials you use and the the products you choose,can help to make your home resistant to flood damage.

Consider choosing windows and doors designed to withstand high wind and impact from flying debris.

Designed safe rooms can protect you from more than just a storm...

Proper constuction techniques help to keep your roof where it belongs in a storm.

Size matters when designing for wind load...

Build for wall strength...

Imagine turning your house upside down and shaking it....

For higher levels of protection and possibly discounted property insurance, consider these options...

Safeguard your roofs and pipes against unually cold weather.

Use multiple methods to make your home resistant to termites and other wood-destroying insects.

In hot, humid climates, walls should be built to keep moisture out.

Air infiltration is a major source of moisture migration into a home...

A great deal of moisture can move from the ground into and through a foundation and floor system...

Use this checklist to explore components and features of your sustainable Louisiana house.

Use this checklist to explore components and features of your Louisiana house.

Use this checklist to explore features and components of a sustainable Louisiana house.

Use this checklist to explore components and features of your sustainable Louisiana house.

What your goals should include in this region...

Details count when it comes to protecting your house from moisture.

Create a continuous drianage plane to keep moisture moving away properly.

Ensure the integrity of the water quality in your home and reduce the amount of contaminents carried by storwater off your home site.

Avoid using chemicals in your home that are potentially harmful to the environment.

Reducing the amount of waste produced when building and living in homes can make a big difference in the number, longevity and cost of needed landfills.

How to cut costs and conserve our supplies of water.

Create a sustainable environments by preserving the natural state of your site.

Choose environmentally-friendly products to avoid pollution and the depletion of natural resources.

Get off the grid and use renewable energy sources to power your home.

Go beyond just building green.....

Does your home measure up?

In the Gulf Region, this means reducing summer heat gain...

In a warm climate, reducing solar heat gain (and air leakage) through a window is even more important than a high insulating value.

Homes should create a continuous air barrier system that surrounds all conditioned space...

The higher the R-value, the greater the insulating ability...

ENERGY STAR labels are more efficient yet cost effective...

Before making building plans, be aware of the building code requirements for your location.

Today, it is possible and practical to have it all...

Seek out incentives that help you create a high performance home...

This guide serves as your comprehensive planning and analysis tool...

The goal is to integrate and balance the following criteria...

The most important messeges to take from this guide...

When conditions change, so do building materials...

Comfort is more than merely air temperature...

LaHouse is now a Gulf Coast Region Healthy Homes Training Center -- a partnership with the National Healthy Homes Training Center that brings together public health and housing professionals to promote practical and cost-effective methods for making homes healthier.

These links lead to a plethora of information on the latest construction technology.

Imagine walking through beautifully landscaped grounds and seeing a brick paver with your name permanently engraved on it.

The new master site plan creates a portrait of the vision for Louisiana House – Home and Landscape Resource Center. It shows the long-range plan for its seven-acre site on Gourier Lane, west of Nicholson Drive and adjacent to the LSU golf course and shop.

The key to long-term success is in the partnerships that are forged. Louisiana House offers numerous opportunities for supporters.

Gifts and letters of commitment for in-kind donations should be addressed to Chancellor William Richardson and mailed to this address.

Contributors of products and services will benefit from wide and continuous exposure and the credibility of being selected for inclusion in Louisiana House Resource Center.

Louisiana House Floor Plans

Great appreciation and a heartfelt welcome go to the newest Key Contributors for their generous gifts to the LSU Foundation for Louisiana House.

More than 100 Contributors, Partners, Allies, team members and friends participated in the July 15, 2003, Louisiana House – Home and Landscape Resource Center (LaHouse) groundbreaking ceremony and recognition reception on the LaHouse site.

Moving and evolving with LSU’s campus master planning process over the last year, the third and final Louisiana House location, master site plan and house design were officially approved by the LSU Board of Supervisors in April 2002

The LaHouse designs and plans are the culmination of an amazing collection of local and internationally recognized expertise – all offered gratis to the cause.

On November 21, 2000, about 100 supporters and interested stakeholders gathered at the site of the Louisiana House Learning Center (LaHouse) for the Site Premier. LSU AgCenter Chancellor Bill Richardson unveiled the site plan showing what is planned for the fully developed six-acre tract.

Since the inception of the idea for Louisiana House, landscape and horticulture features have been an integral part of the project.

The third and final Louisiana House location, master site plan and house design were officially approved by the LSU Board of Supervisors in April 2002.

Paula Manship was honored with a ceremonial tree planting at the Louisiana House Site Premier for her generous contribution of $100,000 to support landscaping the six-acre Louisiana House Learning Center site on November 21, 2000. With this gift to the LSU Foundation for the LaHouse Project, Mrs. Manship became the first Louisiana House Diamond Key Contributor.

Through the talent, dedication and generosity of Remson-Haley Architects, Inc., Louisiana House now has two designs.

LaHouse will have the benefit and notoriety of being a Dept. of Energy Building America (BA) Partner, receiving free technical assistance from not just one, but two renowned BA teams.

Concrete tile is very long-lasting, yet more hail-resistant and less expensive than clay or slate.

Consider how you will benefit from LaHouse and explore the advantages of being recognized as a: Key Contributor, Key Partner, Key Ally, or Brick Donor.

Thank you to all our generous donors to LaHouse.

Browse this photo gallery to see progress from the current stage of construction to groundbreaking, highlighting special features, products and techniques used.

With support from Key Partners, the Louisiana Dept. of Natural Resources and U.S. Dept. of Energy, Building Your Louisiana House – Homeowners Guide has been developed and printed. It was written to be a comprehensive, yet consumer-friendly, companion to LaHouse.

The LaHouse team is thrilled and honored to welcome a contractor who will help to make the Louisiana House vision a reality. Roy Domangue of Wooden Creations has offered to contribute his services as the LaHouse home building contractor.

(Distributed 10/25/05) The LSU AgCenter’s Louisiana House Home and Landscape Resource Center is giving the public opportunities to see aspects of its stronger, safer and smarter construction.

Presentation delivered at the National Building Museum on July 26, 2006.

The La. Dept. of Natural Resources and the Dept. of Energy provide major support to the AgCenter's sustainable housing programming, the Louisiana House initiative and house design development.

The Louisiana House Learning Center and LSU Hurricane Center are cooperating to make sure the Louisiana House incorporates hazard-resistant features based on the best local research data available.

On Novermber 10, 2000, Remson-Haley Architects (RHA) has been selected to design the Louisiana House and produce a master plan for development of the six-acre site.

Choosing the right contractors -- and knowing how to work with them -- can mean the difference between excellent work and shoddy work. Informed homeowners can save time and headaches and get the best value for their money.

More than 100 people from a broad spectrum of backgrounds participated in the Louisiana House Learning Center Planning Workshop July 18, 2000, in the LSU Design Building.

The widespread educational outreach of LaHouse will create ongoing, high exposure and promote related interests -- throughout Louisiana and the southern region.

This guide is not a technical detailed construction manual. Instead, its purpose is to serve as a comprehensive planning and analysis tool. Find information on advantageous components of a sustainable house in Louisiana, a range of ways to address the criteria - from low-cost options to higher-end, higher-performance solutions and basic principles of building science that should be considered when choosing and installing any building system or technology in a hot-humid or mixed-humid climate.

The hurricanes of 2005 demonstrated what works and what doesn’t for the home-building industry, a prominent building expert said recently during a series of seminars across southern Louisiana presented by the LSU AgCenter.

Use of renewable fuels, fuel cells, and photovoltaics can help homeowners achieve energy efficiency.

Donate an inscribed brick to be permanently installed on a walkway or trail of the scenic LaHouse landscape exhibit.

Following design discussions with technical experts and feedback from the extended House Design Advisory team, the original concept design was premiered at the 2001 Earth Day Festival. The new site offers a wonderful opportunity to nestle the house within a group of beautiful, shady live oak trees – so the house design is now being modified to fit the new site and its features.

Representing Entergy Louisiana, Renae Conley (CEO) was honored for becoming the first corporate LaHouse Diamond Key Contributor.

LaHouse program coordinators have been appointed – completing the team that guides the construction of Louisiana House Resource Center, then will build its educational program.

Browse this photo gallery to see progress from the current stage of construction to groundbreaking, highlighting special features, products and techniques used.

The construction of the LaHouse teaching center provided a unique learning and service opportunity for LSU construction management (CM) students.

Floods, hurricanes and soaring energy prices happen, but they don’t have to bust your budget, damage your home, rob your time or deny your comfort. You can make your home stronger, safer and smarter byincluding both energy-saving and hazard-resistant mprovements whenyou remodel or restore it.

An ounce of prevention can be worth a pound of cure when it comes to building homes that stand in the path of a hurricane. Stronger and smarter is the message building specialists are sending to builders and homeowners. (TV News 1/2/06. Runtime: 1 minute 34 seconds)

Construction continues on the LSU AgCenter’s showcase home, the Louisiana House Home and Landscape Resource Center. The special features of the structure could influence techniques and components used to rebuild hurricane-damaged areas. Runtime: 60 seconds. (Radio News 1/9/06).

Hurricanes Katrina and Rita exposed how vulnerable standard buildings can be to powerful storms. A lesson from these storms is to build stronger and smarter, the experts say. Runtime: 60 seconds. (Radio News 1/9/06)

Representatives with the U.S. Department of Energy toured the LSU AgCenter’s showcase home, known as LaHouse, and said this structure shows what homeowners can do to streghten their homes and make them more efficient. Runtime: 60 seconds. (Radio News 1/9/06)

Joseph Lstiburek, a principal of Building Science Corp. of Westford, Mass., and an international expert on moisture-related building problems, recently led a two-part seminar on designing and building for extreme climates. Sponsored by the LSU AgCenter, the program was held in Baton Rouge last week (Dec. 15).

(TV News For 11/21/05) Added safety measures can make a difference on a home when a storm threatens. The proof stands on a corner lot in a development in Plaquemines Parish.

Federal Emergency Management Agency officials came to an LSU AgCenter educational site Wednesday (Nov. 9) to stress that rebuilding "stronger, safer and smarter" is the way to go for those affected by this summer’s hurricanes. Such construction is a major theme behind the LSU AgCenter’s Louisiana House Home and Landscape Resource Center.