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.
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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.
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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. |
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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