| What
are SIPs? |
| SIPs
are high-performance building panels for floors,
walls and roofs in residential and commercial
buildings. Each panel is typically made using
expanded polystyrene (EPS), or polyisocyanurate
rigid foam insulation sandwiched between two structural
skins of oriented strand board (OSB), but other
surfaces are also available to meet your needs.
The result is a building system that is very strong,
predictable, energy efficient, and cost effective. |
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| What
R-values do SIPs have? |
|
The R-value of a SIP varies depending on the thickness
and type of foam core used. According to a study
by Oak Ridge National Laboratory, the "whole-wall"
R-value of a wall with a 3-1/2" EPS core is 14
compared to 9.8 for a 2"x 4" wood framed wall
insulated with R-11 fiberglass insulation. When
the performance of the whole wall system is considered,
SIPs perform better than traditional systems because
they are manufactured in a controlled environment
characterized by uniform fabrication of components
without gaps or air pockets. They are also designed
for efficient field installation that reduces
air infiltration, and there are few thermal breaks
or penetrations in the panels that are typical
of wood frame construction. |
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| How
do SIPs compare in costs? |
| Building
with SIPs generally costs about the same as building
with wood frame construction, when you factor
in the labor savings resulting from shorter construction
time and less job-site waste. Other savings are
realized because less expensive heating and cooling
systems are required with SIP construction. |
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| Why
do SIP homes outperform others? |
| SIP
buildings are vastly more energy efficient, stronger,
quieter, and more draft free than other building
systems, such as stud framing with fiberglass
insulation. Fiberglass is sometimes used for furnace
filters because air moves through so freely. Rigid
insulation is used as solid component insulation
in almost every industry for its inherent efficiency
and lack of air movement. These attributes are
built right into a SIP building. Less air leakage
means fewer drafts, less noise, lower energy bills,
and a much more comfortable indoor environment. |
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| How
much more energy efficient are SIPs? |
| You
can slash energy costs by up to 50%. Because SIPs
create a tighter building envelope than conventional
insulation, your builder can actually reduce the
size of heating and cooling equipment. That reduces
costs immediately. Better yet, SIPs keep your
costs down from season to season, year after year,
for as long as you own your home. |
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| How
are electrical and plumbing installed? |
|
In commercial construction, wiring is pulled through
conduit. "Chases" or channels are built into the
foam cores of a SIP panel that work like conduit.
Electricians use a fish tape and feed the wires
through panel chases without compressing insulation
or drilling through studs. Typically, plumbing
is installed in interior walls and floors, but
not in exterior walls. Where exterior wall vent
pipes are necessary, chases can be formed in the
foam cores. Installing island vents or loop vents
is also a common practice and can be found in
plumbing codes. |
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| Why
are SIPs more environmentally responsible? |
| When
you build with SIPs, you're building homes that
can save 50% or more on energy costs when compared
to conventional stick frame construction. That
means less fossil fuel consumption and less greenhouse
gas emissions. SIP technology provides higher
"whole-wall" R-value, tightens the building envelope,
and reduces air infiltration. That allows you
to downsize the heating and cooling equipment.
It's the combination of these systems that makes
up the technology of a high-performance SIP home.
You will also enjoy the green building benefits
of less job-site waste, better utilization of
material resources, and more environmentally friendly
building practices. |
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| Why
are SIPs so much stronger? |
| SIPs
structural characteristics are similar to a steel
I-beam. The skins act like the flanges of an I-beam,
and the rigid core provides the web of the I-beam
configuration. This composite assembly yields
stiffness, strength, and predictable performance.
Not only do test results show panels are stronger,
but natural disasters have proven it time and
again. Homes built with SIPs withstood the Great
Hanshin (Kobe, Japan) and North Ridge earthquakes,
as well as Hurricane Andrew. |
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| How
do SIPs react to fire? |
| Fire
requires three components: fuel, ignition, and
oxygen. SIPs have no "air" within their solid
cores of insulation. The fire cannot "run up the
wall" cavity even when balloon framed. SIPs have
passed every standard fire test required of wood
based or type V construction. A key element of
fire safety is protection of the SIPs and any
other underlying structure with 15-minute thermal
barriers, such as gypsum wallboard. |
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| How
about ventilation? |
| All
advanced technology building systems require mechanical
ventilation. These systems bring fresh air into
the building and exhaust moisture laden and stale
air to the outside. Often, they can be combined
with filter systems or other fresh air devices.
Not only is ventilation practical, but it's a
code requirement in many areas. Many heat recovery
ventilators (HRVs) are available from your mechanical
contractor. |
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| How
do SIPs save so much labor? |
| Cutting
and fabricating, based on your construction drawings,
are done for you in a SIP manufacturing plant.
That reduces site labor and time building materials
are exposed to the weather on the job site. SIPs
are also made in large sizes up to 8 ft by 24
ft so assembly on-site is faster, framing crews
are more productive, and the project is "dried-in"
sooner. That means other subcontractors can get
a head start on the jobs they need to do. |
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| What
is the structural performance of SIPs? |
|
SIPA manufacturers make their panels to meet code
requirements and are listed with the National
Evaluation Service, Inc. (NES) or the International
Conference of Building Officials (ICBO). These
reports have load design charts showing allowable
loads for given sizes of structural insulated
panels. |
