LA CSI NITE 2026 : March 18th, 2026

Annual Architectural Education & Product Show

U-STUCCO Proudly Sponsors LA-CSI Event on Enclosure Fire Resilience

U-STUCCO is proud to support the upcoming Los Angeles Chapter CSI (LA-CSI) event as the official bar sponsor for an evening dedicated to advancing knowledge in building enclosure performance and fire resilience. The event brings together architects, engineers, building envelope consultants, contractors, and industry professionals to explore emerging strategies for designing safer, more durable building envelopes.

During the tradeshow portion of the evening, U-STUCCO will also host an exhibit table where attendees can explore:

• U-STUCCO product samples

• Installation and application videos

• Project photos and system details

• Direct conversations with the U-STUCCO Team about fire-resistant wall systems and retrofit applications

Guests will have the opportunity to learn more about how next-generation mineral stucco / plaster technologies are helping improve fire resilience, thermal performance, and durability in modern wall assemblies.

Enclosure Fire Resilience — Jud Taylor & Nate Wittasek, PE

Building enclosures rely on four key control layers ”air, water, thermal, and vapor" which together form the essential “Four Barriers.” In high-risk environments such as the Wildland-Urban Interface (WUI), enclosures must also incorporate fire-resilient design strategies.

Research shows that through proper integrated design of the building enclosure, owners can reduce the risk of structural loss in wildfire events by up to 40%.

In this session, Architect Jud Taylor and Fire Engineer Nate Wittasek, PE, will discuss practical design strategies and enclosure detailing approaches for improving fire resilience in modern building envelopes.

Stucco Failure Case Studies & Code Considerations — Joseph Piñon

Stucco failures remain one of the most common and costly issues affecting building enclosures in modern construction. Improper detailing, inadequate drainage, thermal movement, and moisture intrusion can significantly compromise the long-term durability of exterior wall assemblies.

In this session, Joe Piñon of RDH Building Science will present real-world stucco failure case studies illustrating how water intrusion, insufficient drainage design, and cracking mechanisms develop in conventional stucco assemblies. The presentation will also address key code and performance considerations, including continuous insulation integration, drainage strategies, and NFPA 285 fire propagation requirements.

Attendees will leave with practical, actionable strategies for designing and detailing more durable, resilient, and code-compliant stucco wall systems.

As building science continues to evolve toward higher-performance building enclosures, the industry is increasingly exploring advanced mineral-based exterior coatings that integrate fire resistance, thermal performance, and moisture resilience into a single envelope layer.

Solutions such as U-STUCCO™ lightweight mineral stucco / plaster systems represent this next generation of exterior wall technology, designed to support fire-resilient assemblies, improved thermal performance, and enhanced durability, particularly in fire-prone regions.