CSIP House - Baton Rouge, Louisiana 

Hurricanes Katrina and Rita highlighted the need for stronger homes in high-wind and flood-prone zones of the Gulf Coast. In the wake of Katrina, FAS began to explore the possibility of introducing a panelized building system with fiber-cement facings to the devastated region in order to help with the reconstruction efforts. While New Orleans took center stage in post-Katrina efforts, the degree of uncertainty pertaining to long-term recovery plans turned FAS’ focus on Baton Rouge.

FAS has worked with a local architect to design a house plan that reflects local taste. The demonstration house will be built on a land donated by Habitat for Humanity, located at 2740 Laurel Street. The house will be a 2-bedroom, single-story home with a floor area of 864 square feet; built on piers to protect against flooding. Engineering work has been done by Dr. Joseph Colaco, renowned structural engineer and professor at the University of Houston.

The Baton Rouge project has been designed to showcase a safer, expandable housing alternative to FEMA trailers by using CSIPs. FAS is to demonstrate safety and energy efficiency of this system by receiving a Fortified rating as an indicator of safe housing, while collaborating with local universities and Florida Solar Energy Center (FSEC) to monitor the energy consumption, air quality and building performance of the house. Additionally, construction expenses and duration will be documented for comparison purposes.