Carol Friedland

Director of LaHouse Research & Education Center and Professor Louisiana State University

  • Baton Rouge LA

Dr. Friedland bridges research and real-world solutions for Louisiana homes.

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Louisiana State University

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Biography

Dr. Carol Friedland is a Professor at LSU specializing in construction management and the Director for LaHouse, which offers research-based solutions for resilient, sustainable, and healthy homes and communities. Previously, Dr. Friedland was a Project Engineer, Field Engineer, and Estimator. Friedland’s research interests include combined hurricane wind and flood interactions on structures; hazard-resistant construction and mitigation; performance of housing and other built infrastructure subjected to natural hazards; post-hurricane hazard (e.g. wind, storm surge) and damage data acquisition; remote sensing of building damage from natural hazards; and rapid, efficient data collection, storage, and processing. Friedland’s work appears in numerous journal publications, including the Journal of Architectural Engineering, International Journal of Construction Engineering and Management, and Journal of Structural Engineering. A Professional Engineer and ASFPM Certified Floodplain Manager, Friedland is a Member of the American Society of Civil Engineers, American Association of Wind Engineers (AAWE), Association of State Floodplain Managers, and American Society for Engineering Education.

Areas of Expertise

Construction Management
Hazard-Resistant Construction
Hurricane, Wind and Flood Interactions
Natural Hazards
Data Collection

Research Focus

Hazard-Resilient Housing & Wind Damage Mitigation

Dr. Friedland’s research focuses on hazard-resilient housing, examining how wind, flood, and multi-hazard forces threaten buildings and infrastructure in the Gulf South. She integrates structural field testing, probabilistic hazard and lifecycle-cost modeling, and outreach through LSU’s LaHouse Research & Education Center to craft cost-effective mitigation standards that cut risk and insurance losses.

Accomplishments

John R. Sheaffer Award for Excellence in Floodproofing, Association of State Floodplain Managers

2025

LSU AgCenter AgExcellence Award, LSU AgCenter

2025

LSU AgCenter AgExcellence Award, LSU AgCenter

2024

Education

Louisiana State University

Ph.D.

Civil Engineering

2009

Louisiana State University

M.S.

Civil Engineering

2005

University of Wyoming

B.S.

Civil Engineering

1998

Spotlight

2 min

Hurricane Preparedness Week reminds everyone to plan ahead

Hurricane season officially begins June 1, and now is the time to get ready for potential storms. Hurricane Preparedness Week, observed May 4 to 10, is a reminder for Louisiana residents to review their emergency plans, strengthen their homes, and prepare their families before a major storm arrives. “Preparedness saves lives, protects property and reduces recovery time,” said Carol Friedland, director of the LSU AgCenter LaHouse Research and Education Center. “By taking a few proactive steps now, families can be better protected during hurricane season.” Even though hurricane season does not begin for another month, starting your preparation now can save time and hassle later. The following are good projects you can start in the coming weeks to prepare for severe weather: Create and practice a family emergency plan and make sure it has updated contact information and evacuation information. Assemble an emergency supply kit or go through your existing kit to make sure nothing is expired or missing. Update it to make sure your entire family, including your pets, will have supplies during an evacuation. Review insurance coverage and understand flood risks. Some companies or policies have a waiting period before your coverage begins, so contact your agent or representative now. Strengthen your home against high winds and flooding. Do an overview of your home’s exterior and note any areas that look like they need repairs, like patches of missing shingles. Repairing these smaller problems now can reduce the likelihood of your home experiencing more severe damage during a storm. “Taking the time to check your home and yard early and getting bigger projects or repairs started ahead of hurricane season can save you a lot of stress later, especially when materials become harder to find right before a storm,” said Rubayet Bin Mostafiz, assistant director of research at LaHouse. Don’t wait until a storm is in the forecast. Start preparing today. Visit www.LSUAgCenter.com/LaHouse for more information, downloadable preparedness publications, and guidance tailored to Louisiana homes and families. The LaHouse Research and Education Center is dedicated to providing science-based solutions to improve home resilience, sustainability, and health. Through research, extension and education, LaHouse seeks to address the challenges of severe weather, with a particular focus on helping Louisiana residents protect their homes and communities from natural disasters. Article originally posted here.

Carol Friedland

2 min

Springtime swarms: What you need to know about termite alates

As temperatures warm up across Louisiana, so does termite activity. Homeowners may soon begin to notice large swarms of winged insects in and around their homes. These are termite alates, also known as swarming termites. “Swarming is how termites establish new colonies,” said LSU AgCenter entomologist Aaron Ashbrook. “Seeing swarms around your home doesn’t necessarily mean you have an infestation, but it does mean termites are nearby.” Alates are the reproductive members of a future termite colony if they can successfully establish. Each spring, usually following a warm rain, these termites leave their established colonies to find new places to nest. Many alates are produced because a low percentage of them are able to establish a colony. After swarming, they shed their wings and pair off to begin new colonies, which is how they end up in homes. Louisiana’s warm, humid climate makes it an ideal environment for termites, especially the Formosan subterranean termite, one of the most destructive species in the United States. Termites can silently cause thousands of dollars in damage before homeowners know they’re there. Tips for homeowners: Don’t panic, but don’t ignore it. Seeing swarms outside is common, but if they're inside your home, call a licensed pest control professional. Look for signs. Discarded wings, mud tubes, water stains, moisture buildup, and soft or hollow-sounding wood can all indicate a problem. Reduce moisture. Termites thrive in damp environments and require moist wood to attack structures. Fix leaks and ensure proper drainage around your home. Schedule regular inspections. Annual termite inspections are recommended, especially in high-risk areas like Louisiana. “Termites can cause extensive structural damage to your home that may go unnoticed,” said Carol Friedland, director of LaHouse Research and Education Center. “Early detection and prevention can save homeowners a lot of stress and money.” The LSU AgCenter’s Department of Entomology and LaHouse Research and Education Center provide research-based guidance to help Louisiana residents protect their homes from termites and other structural pests. Learn more by searching for “termites” at www.LSUAgCenter.com. Article by Shelly Kleinpeter, originally posted here.

Carol FriedlandAaron Ashbrook

Media Appearances

Hurricane Preparedness Week reminds everyone to plan ahead

KTBS  online

2025-05-02

“Preparedness saves lives, protects property and reduces recovery time,” said Carol Friedland, director of the LSU AgCenter LaHouse Research and Education Center. “By taking a few proactive steps now, families can be better protected during hurricane season.”

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Solutions to Louisiana's complex insurance crisis are in sight. Now comes the hard part.

NOLA  online

2024-12-12

Carol Friedland set out to embrace resilience as a key part of her work when she took over as head of LSU’s Home and Landscape Resource Center in 2022.

Friedland had worked with the Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness for years, helping the organization develop plans for mitigating disasters. She and University of New Orleans Professor Monica Teets Farris this year calculated the expected average losses for Louisiana by 2050: A staggering $5 billion.

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LSU AgCenter gives advice on how to prepare your plants for the upcoming cold snap

WBRZ 2 ABC  online

2024-01-12

LSU AgCenter professionals say everyone should pay attention to the forecasts to know ahead of time when freezing weather is approaching.

Carol Friedland, director of the LSU AgCenter LaHouse Research and Education Center, gives these tips to homeowners: [...]

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Articles

Fuzzy logic use case within the built environment for optimizing sustainability versus cost in the material selection process

Frontiers in Built Environment

2025

This study aims to investigate the application of fuzzy logic in decision-making within the Built Environment. The research focuses on achieving a balance between reducing carbon emissions and increasing costs in the selection of materials and equipment. This balance is measured by Life Cycle Carbon Emissions (LCCE) and is evaluated using a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) methodology. By modeling fuzzy logic against classical binary logic within MATLAB, the study demonstrates how fuzzy logic’s “degrees of truth” may be utilized to construct customized stakeholder buy-in profiles and also achieve increased mathematical precision.

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Bibliometric Web of Science and Google Trends analysis of multi-criteria decision analysis within the built environment

Frontiers in Built Environment

2025

This research aims to leverage existing data sources to provide new insights into the usage of Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA) in the built environment without creating a new data collection process. The study is focused upon built environment vocations, spanning the disciplines of architecture, construction management, urban planning, real estate, facilities management, and the numerous engineering domains that support capital projects. The method of the study utilized Google search engine data from Google Trends and academic literature metadata from Web of Science, which was analyzed using Bibliometrix via the Biblioshiny interface.

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Development of Sustainable Low-Cement Construction 3D Printing Materials via Dense Particle Packing

ASCE Computing in Civil Engineering

2025

This study seeks to enhance the sustainability and cost-effectiveness of Construction 3D Printing (C3DP) as a construction method. A key challenge in C3DP is the excessive Portland cement content (typically> 600 kg/m³) of printing materials, increasing construction costs and the resulting carbon footprint. To address this, an image-based automated gradation system was developed and tested to facilitate particle packing optimization. To design eco-friendly printing materials, large aggregates (up to 3/8") and quarry by-products were included as ingredients. The experimental results validated the packing density calculations, showing consistency with theoretical analysis based on the Modified Andreasen & Andersen method, and the proposed novel image-based gradation technique.

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Research Grants

Responsible Design, Development, and Deployment of Technologies

National Science Foundatio

2024

Building Resilience through Extension, Awareness and Knowledge

United States Department of Agriculture National Institute of Food and Agriculture

2023

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