Editor's note: This article was originally published as part of an AIA/CES Discovery course: "EIFS: How to succeed with exterior insulation and finish systems." Take this free course at BDCUniversity.com.
After vast swaths of Europe were destroyed in World War II, cities looked to rebuild quickly and inexpensively. EIFS was first introduced in Germany during the post-war years as a wall system that enabled the rapid redevelopment of devastated areas.
The technology was brought to the United States in 1969 by the building product manufacturer Dryvit, and it gained popularity during the energy crisis of the 1970s, when retrofitting walls with exterior insulation improved performance and cut energy costs.
The EIFS industry continued to enjoy steady growth through the 1980s, thanks chiefly to the product’s insulating properties, light weight, aesthetic flexibility, low cost, and versatility. In addition to new construction, EIFS was commonly used for retrofits, where it could be applied easily over existing exterior walls to improve energy profile and provide a fresh appearance.
Available in a wide range of colors, shapes, and textures, EIFS allowed architects the flexibility to design new façade profiles at a relatively low construction cost.
This versatility led to the proliferation of EIFS in the residential and light commercial markets. In 1981, the EIFS Industry Members Association was formed to advocate for EIFS manufacturers and improve product performance.
Related Stories
| Sep 20, 2022
New Long Beach office building reflects Mid-Century Modern garden-style motif
The new Long Beach, Calif., headquarters of Laserfiche, a provider of intelligent content management and business process automation software, was built on a brownfield parcel previously considered undevelopable.
| Sep 19, 2022
New York City construction site inspections, enforcement found ‘inadequate’
A new report by the New York State Comptroller found that New York City construction site inspections and regulation enforcement need improvement.
| Sep 16, 2022
Fairfax County, Va., considers impactful code change to reduce flood risk
Fairfax County, Va., in the Washington, D.C., metro region is considering a major code change to reduce the risk from floods.
Multifamily Housing | Sep 15, 2022
Heat Pumps in Multifamily Projects
RMI's Lacey Tan gives the basics of heat pumps and how they can reduce energy costs and carbon emissions in apartment projects.
| Sep 15, 2022
Monthly construction input prices dip in August
Construction input prices decreased 1.4% in August compared to the previous month, according to an Associated Builders and Contractors analysis of U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Producer Price Index data released today.
| Sep 15, 2022
First LEED Platinum, net zero and net zero water synagogue opens
Kol Emeth Center, the world’s first LEED Platinum, net zero and net zero water synagogue, opened recently in Palo Alto, Calif.
| Sep 14, 2022
Fires on Amazon warehouse roofs seemingly caused by faulty PV installations
Amazon has made installing solar panels on rooftops a key part of its ESG strategy, but a series of events last year show how challenging greening up major facilities can be.
| Sep 14, 2022
Indian tribe’s new educational campus supports culturally appropriate education
The Kenaitze Indian Tribe recently opened the Kahtnuht’ana Duhdeldiht Campus (Kenai River People’s Learning Place), a new education center in Kenai, Alaska.
| Sep 13, 2022
California building codes now allow high-rise mass-timber buildings
California recently enacted new building codes that allow for high-rise mass-timber buildings to be constructed in the state.
| Sep 13, 2022
Orange County opens civic center complex—one of California’s largest P3 projects
Orange County’s recently opened County Administration North (CAN) building caps an urban center development that constitutes one of California’s largest ever P3 projects.
