SIPs (structural insulated panels) are a high-performance building system suitable for residential and commercial construction.
According to SIPA (the Structural Insulated Panel Association): The (SIPs) panels consist of an insulating foam core sandwiched between two structural facings, typically oriented strand board (OSB). SIPs are manufactured under factory controlled conditions and can be fabricated to fit nearly any building design. The result is a building system that is extremely strong, energy efficient and cost-effective. Building with SIPs can save you time, money and labour.
One significant benefit of SIPs is that they make it possible to attain the build standards required for Passivhaus or Passive House (a rigorous standard used to rate energy efficiency in a building, which reduces the building’s ecological footprint) without the need for excessively thick walls. This gives developers much more flexibility in terms of design.
Building with SIPs generally costs about the same as building with timber frame construction and a number of Advantage Insurance’s clients choose to build with these structural insulated panels.
For homeowners and developers who are particularly focused on air quality, the team at Advantage have found that SIPs tend to be particularly popular.
As the Structural Insulated Panel Association explains:
“A SIP home or commercial building allows for better control over indoor air quality because the airtight building envelope limits incoming air to controlled ventilation. Controlled ventilation filters out contaminants and allergens, and also allows for incoming air to be dehumidified, reducing the possibility for mould growth.”
“There are a variety of ventilation strategies that can employed to provide fresh air to airtight homes. These vary by climate, but most are relatively inexpensive and operate on automatic control systems without the need for homeowner action.”
“SIPs do not contain any VOCs or other harmful chemicals that can affect occupant health. The components used to make SIPs (foam, oriented strand board, and adhesive) meet some of the most stringent standards for indoor air quality.”
WARRINGTON
Advantage House
4B Birchwood One
Warrington
WA3 7GB
To find out more about Advantage Insurance, pay a visit to the AHCI website, or call: 0845 900 3969.
