 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
 |
|
|||||||
 |
 |
 |
|
||||||
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
||||
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
|||||
About Structural Insulated Panels...
History
Builder Benefits
Homeowner Benefits
Green Product
SIPs vs. Conventional Framing
Enercept ® vs. Other Panelizers
Future
The first SIP structure was built in 1935 by the US Forest Products Lab. as a test model. Manufacturing was very slow since automated panel press equipment had yet to be developed. The energy efficiency benefit didn't catch on until the energy price hikes in the 70's. Product performance and affordability were impacted by the introduction of oriented strand board in 1981, verses the plywood or waferboard used previously. Today, Enercept has the technology and capacity to produce 90 - 4'x8' panels per hour. This has been aided by the advance of technology in the adhesives used to laminate the panels.
Faster Construction- SIPs combine structural framing, insulation, and sheathing into one step, allowing a builder to frame more projects per year. The fast enclosure system also can extend the building season. We've had several builders quickly frame up a home in the dead of the South Dakota winter and spend the rest of the winter working on the interior.
The pre-built nature of the SIP system requires fewer framers. The US continues to maintain a low unemployment rate of 4.5% and fewer people are choosing building as a career. The Bureau of Labor estimates that it takes about 250,000 new recruits each year to keep pace with the building market. Less than 30% of these positions are being filled. SIPs can help lessen this shortage due to the shorter learning curve to build with SIPs when compared to traditional framing. To further minimize this curve, Enercept provides on-site technical training to builders new to SIP construction.
Another benefit of SIPs is the reduction of job site waste, reducing the cost of waste disposal. According to 1996 statistics, the average builder pays $511 per 2,000 sq. ft. home for waste disposal. Wood products account for 35% of this waste. The typical exterior framing waste of an Enercept home can be hauled off in a 55 gal. container. Also, every builder experiences job site material theft. It's much more difficult for panels to grow legs and walk off your job site along with your profit margin.
SIPs also reduce the margin for framing errors. Each panel is numbered to correspond with a computerized CAD panel blueprint. With the Enercept system, all rough openings are cut and framed at the factory, including structural headers. Panels are built to the engineer's specs, taking the hassle and guesswork out of design and quality control on-site. Maintaining a consistent profit margin becomes easier with SIPs, since the builder knows upfront exactly what the exterior framing cost will be.
Strength- Stick-framing relies on the integrity of a multitude of connection points between 2x's and sheathing. With SIPs, loads are distributed across the entire panel due to the continuous bond between the sheathing and rigid insulation. A panel can be compared to an I-beam, with the sheathing acting as flanges and the insulation as the web. An Enercept home survived the 1995 hurricane Opal in the Florida Keys and was used as a meeting facility for the county rescue team.
SIP builders can create a niche market and set their business apart from the rest of the pack. By using SIPs, builders will be recognized as environmentally responsible and committed to providing customers with superior energy efficiency and structural performance.
Energy efficiency is by far the biggest benefit of the SIP system. The perimeter of a home is wrapped in EPS insulation without the thermal breaks experienced in 2x framing at each stud and around the electrical work. Also, EPS insulation maintains its integrity over time, whereas batt insulation settles and absorbs moisture.
The U. of TN and the US Dpt. Of Energy compared 5 different building systems for clear-wall R-value verses whole-wall R-value. Clear-wall only measures the R-value of an uninterrupted insulation cavity section of the wall, while whole-wall takes into account the areas where most thermal performance is lost, such as corners, studs, wall to roof and floor connections, window and door areas. The test concluded that SIPs maintain 88% of their clear-wall performance after whole-wall R-value in measured. This is 58% better than 2x6 stick-framing.
Panels provide a quieter and healthier living environment. EPS insulation is an excellent sound barrier, and the naturally tight construction of a SIP shell helps prevent dust and allergens from penetrating the home. The architect for the Redlin Art Museum chose SIPs to protect the original artworks of Terry Redlin. An air exchanger is highly recommended to promote healthier air quality and control humidity. An air exchanger is not just for SIP homes, year 2000 Minnesota building code will mandate an air exchanger be installed in all newly constructed homes.
One little known benefit of a SIP home is the freedom of interior design. You can throw your stud-finder away, since the entire inside is sheathed with 7/16" oriented strand board. Finding a place to support a nail for pictures, curtains, or cabinets isn't a problem. Think how much faster it is to apply sheet rock when you don't have to worry about hitting the studs every time.
SIPS are typically composed of two materials- OSB and EPS. The OSB is derived from short growth, replaceable tree crops. The EPS insulation does not contain any CFCs, (chlorofluorocarbons) or formaldehyde. At the Enercept plant, all scrap EPS foam is recycled for reuse. Most Enercept basement panels contain up to 80% recycled foam.
The cost of SIPs is often compared to stick-frame construction. This is not an apples-to-apples comparison, since 2x construction cannot compete with the thermal efficiency or strength of SIPs. To build a house out of conventional materials that would perform with the same thermal efficiency and strength as a SIP house would cost 40-50% higher than a SIP home. Although materials-to-materials cost of SIPs is higher than 2x construction, you are actually paying for some of your framing labor when you purchase panels. The finished home cost difference is only 3%-5% more than a stick-framed home. The difference depends on labor and materials costs in your area. The 50% or greater energy savings quickly recoups any additional initial investment over the cost of conventional framing. The savings continue even when you sell your home. A study released by the EPA in 1998 revealed that energy efficiency increases the resale value of homes by $20 for every $1 in annual energy cost savings.
The EPA has developed a program called Energy Star Homes to help homebuyers offset the up-front cost of building a better home. Some incentives include EEMs (energy efficient mortgages) through lending partners such as Chase Manhattan and Countrywide Home Loans. The perks of EEMs include debt-to-income ration loan stretches, closing cost rebates, and lower interest rates. Enercept is an allied member of Energy Star Homes, which means that just by using our building system qualifies most people for the benefits of Energy Star. Also, congress is debating a tax credit of 1% of the purchase price with a maximum of $2,000 for newly built homes which use at least 50% less energy than the Model Energy Code.
Currently, product demand is bottom-up, originating from the end consumer. Homebuyers are demanding a better building system, yet some builders are resistant to change their construction methods. Education needs to start at the vocational training level, then we'll see more harmony between customer demand and builder acceptance of SIPs. In the future all builders give homeowners the option of building with panels.
1. Enercept utilizes insulated connecting posts which results in an unbroken thermal shell.
2. All rough openings are factory engineered, cut and framed, further reducing construction time, job site waste, and framing errors. Custom-cut panels eliminate the hassle of panel modification on the job site.
3. Enercept has a patented electrical chase for routing wiring. Enercept has developed a complete Electrical Guide for electricians.
4. Enercept's unique panel press can accommodate panel core thickness from 1" to 14".
5. Enercept is renowned in the SIP industry for our ability to produce panels for even the most difficult designs. We employ a drafting and design team to assist our customers with their design needs.
6. Enercept can provide an on-site training technician for builders to ensure quality construction and to minimize the learning curve. A detailed Construction Guide and Electrical Guide are issued with every project.
As lumber prices increase and the labor pool decreases, the SIP industry can expect to continue to gain market share. SIPs are the building industry's computer revolution. Twenty years ago, no one imagined that today nearly every business and a good share of homes would rely on computers. Twenty years from now, SIPs will be the preferred building system, replacing less practical methods of construction. In 1998 SIP construction accounted for about $82 million annually of the US building market.
© 2004 Cozy Living Homes, All rights
reserved.
Site design by: The
OutBox, LLC
