Why SIPS? Over the years, even with new technological
advances, there have been very few changes in the way we build.
Conventional wood-frame construction with batt insulation
continues to dominate the landscape. However, with energy prices
soaring to new, all-time highs, the depletion of our natural
resources, a lack of quality in dimensional lumber, not to mention
the lack of skilled labor, all of this is about to change.
With the dawn of the Internet, consumers can become an expert in
most any field of study in thirty minutes or less. Savvy buyers
are now demanding that their homes and buildings be constructed
using superior technology.
SIPS are not modular buildings. SIPS are engineered building
systems that should be integrated with other components in the
envelope, a holistic approach if you will. Ideally, we should know
how each component is going to affect another.
The benefits of building with SIPS are many. They provide superior
R-values, they can reduce energy bills by as much as 50%, they
reduce HVAC costs by down-sizing units to meet optimal performance
needs. SIPS structures use up to 30% less wood, create less waste,
reduce the need for skilled labor, provide for a healthier living
environment, and help reduce dry-in time by 1-3 weeks. Time is
money in construction, so it’s easy to see how these benefits
quickly add up to significant savings. Finally, under testing,
SIPS are more than twice as strong as a conventional frame
structure, they perform well seismically, and do not warp, rack,
or twist.
Your projects will garner more attention, better prices, better
appraisals, better tenants, and higher resale values. When
building with SIPS, everyone comes out a winner, including our
environment. Let Tri-State Laminates help you get started today.
THINK GREEN! History of SIPS
Structural
insulated panel systems, sometimes referred to as stress skin
panels, date back to the 1930’s when a small house with paper core
panels was built in Wisconsin. Most of the testing of these panels
was done by Forest Products Laboratory, in an effort by the U.S.
Forest Service to conserve a great natural resource, our forests.
Not only was this house dedicated by First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt,
but it still stands today and is used by the University of
Wisconsin.
The core of the stress skin panel has evolved over the years, from
the paper core first used in Wisconsin, to the expanded
polystyrene (EPS) and polyurethane foams used today. The son of
the founder of Dow Chemical, Alden B. Dow, began using SIPS in
residential construction in 1952. These homes, built in Michigan,
stand today. Most recently, Pulte Homes has built approximately
1,000 homes in the U.S. utilizing SIPS technology.
Many of today’s systems are manufactured with OSB and plywood
skins, laminated to a foam core using code-approved adhesives,
which are then tested by third party agencies for issuance of
approved code reports.
When considering how a properly designed SIPS structure
outperforms a conventional stick-framed building; building with
SIPS makes sense. |
