Green from the Outside In
Structural Insulated Panels
by James Hodgson
Earlier this year, the NAHB Research Center and the U.S. Department of Energy honored a custom homebuilder in Olympia, Wash., as the 2009 EnergyValue Housing Awards (EVHA) Builder of the Year. The EVHA are the nation's preeminent energy efficiency awards honoring builders who voluntarily incorporate energy efficiency into all aspects of new home construction.
To achieve high energy efficiency, the builder, Scott Homes, incorporates several key features in its homes, including low-e double-pane glazing, radiant floor heating and structural insulated panels (SIPs) from Premier Building Systems. Together, these elements help homeowners save up to 60 percent per year on energy usage.
"The word is out on SIPs," says Scott Bergford, owner of Scott Homes. "Customers are coming to me and requesting SIPs so much that I had to increase my staff just to keep up with demand and I still have more jobs than I can handle. None of that would be possible without Premier's innovative SIP panels."
Structural insulated panels perform equally well in both cold and hot climates, whether keeping the heat in during a Flagstaff winter or keeping it out during a Phoenix summer. In addition to dramatic energy savings, SIPs reduce jobsite waste up to two-thirds; make efficient use of renewable, natural resources and recycled content; and contribute to indoor air quality. As such, they can help builders across Arizona differentiate themselves and affordably meet home buyers' needs-critical goals in today's down market.
SIPs Defined
SIPs are pre-manufactured wall, roof or floor components delivered to the jobsite ready to install. They are typically made with oriented strand board (OSB) "skins" laminated and pressure cured to a rigid insulating foam core.
The OSB and foam work together as both a structural system and the insulation. The panels are very strong and in most applications are structurally self-sufficient.
The design and construction process for a SIPs building is straightforward. The architect or builder provides the construction documents to a SIP manufacturer or dealer, who converts them into shop drawings that give each panel's specific dimensions. After review by all applicable parties, the manufacturer or dealer finalizes the shop drawings, makes the panels, and delivers them to the jobsite. The panels install fast since the manufacturer also pre-cuts the electrical chases and window and door openings, including archways and complex curves.
High R-Values
SIPs provide exceptional energy efficiency through the insulating foam, which is continuous across the panel and performs as an integrated system, unlike fiberglass batts that come in narrow sections and typically leave gaps near framing members. The U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Oak Ridge National Laboratory found that SIPs help reduce a building's annual energy costs by 50 to 60 percent compared to stick framing, which is difficult to insulate properly.
Other Green Building Benefits
In addition to energy savings, building with SIPs is environmentally responsible in several other ways:
? Construction waste is reduced by up to two-thirds since manufacturing the panels in a controlled setting allows for more careful material management than is possible on a jobsite.
? The OSB skins come from fast-growing, renewable trees, and the manufacturing process uses a high percentage of each log.
? Indoor air quality is improved by reducing infiltration of common pollutants such as radon, molds, pollen, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), lead dust and asbestos.
As the U.S. seeks to become energy independent, how buildings and homes are constructed will play a major role. Advanced building techniques such as SIPs will be key to reducing energy demand, as well as providing a host of other green building benefits.
James Hodgson is the General Manager for Premier Building Systems, North America's largest SIPs manufacturer.
