SIP wall construction for high energy efficiency
SIP - Structural Insulated Panels, also called sandwich foam panels and foam-core panels - are pre-manufactured building panels for wall construction (and more accessorily for floors and roofs).
They are made by sandwiching a core of rigid foam insulation between two skins, usually plywood boards, OBS or fiber-cement sheets. SIP construction is an alternative to wood, steel and concrete-frame wall construction. SIP construction provides framing, insulation and sheathing in a single panel. SIP walls can be erected in just some few days, with minimal equipment and site work.
SIP Wall Construction is an Alternative to...
SIP panels are a strong building material, extremely energy-efficient. SIP wall construction may require an higher initial investment for customized layouts, but can save money in the long run.
Types of SIP wall panels
There are two main types of SIP wall panels: OBSs and fiber-cement SIP. OBS SIP are more common and cheaper, but Fiber-cement SIP are more energy-efficient and provides a long-lasting wall construction.
See: SIP Wall Panels
Installation
Building the walls with sandwich foam SIPs is easy. But there are important considerations and details involving window and door openings, mechanical ventilation, sealing, etc.
SIP wall construction relies on careful planning and design prior to the manufacturing and shipping of the panels and their on-site assembly.
See:
SIP Panel Homes
Building with SIP Panels
Costs and Evaluation
SIP wall construction is competitive for in-shelf solutions, and more expensive (5-10%) for customized layouts.
See:
SIP Structural Insulatated Panels Costs
SIP Contractors and Manufacturers
See: Structural Insulated Panels Manufacturers
An Energy efficiency and Environmentally-Friendly Choice
SIP wall construction is an energy-efficient option, allowing significant energy savings.
As an alternative to wood-frame construction, SIP may also help to conserve forest resources, using less wood (on average, in USA, each wood frame home uses the equivalent to 30-40 trees, which means that more than 30 million trees are cut down every year for wood-framing construction).
See also: