Innovation Alert: Structural Insulated Panels
This guide to Structural Insulated Panels outlines their advantages, challenges and some wise words of advice
Structural Insulated Panels, also known as SIPs, are an efficient, lightweight and sustainable material used for walls, roofs and floors in residential and light commercial construction. While known for reducing material costs and site labour time, the panel technology is also ideal for creating airtight and energy-efficient buildings. The result is a house that is extremely strong, efficient and cost effective.
Here’s what you need to know about SIPs.
Here’s what you need to know about SIPs.
What Are SIPs Made Of?
Each panel contains two outer engineered skins with an insulating foam core. These skins are typically oriented strand board (OSB) but may also be magnesium oxide, plywood, sheet metal or fibre cement.
Get the look of timber without the cost of solid wood
Each panel contains two outer engineered skins with an insulating foam core. These skins are typically oriented strand board (OSB) but may also be magnesium oxide, plywood, sheet metal or fibre cement.
Get the look of timber without the cost of solid wood
Habitech Systems, based in Victoria, uses SIPs for its modular homes. Habitech’s panels comprise a core of highly insulating expanded polystyrene foam (EPS) bonded to an inner layer of local, plantation-grown radiata pine plywood, and an outer skin made from magnesium oxide, wood pulp and fibreglass.
What Are The Advantages Of SIPs?
- SIPs are lightweight, allowing for prefabricated construction, faster construction time on site and reduced need for site labour. Altogether, this makes them an economical choice.
- Because SIPs are pre-engineered, production waste is minimised. It can also reduce construction delays that may be caused by weather.
- SIPs are modular in nature but can be fabricated to fit a vast range of building designs.
- Houses built with SIPs can provide high levels of airtightness. SIP walls, roofs and floors have higher insulating properties, which leads to fewer draughts and a decrease in operating costs. This in turn lowers the total life-cycle cost of an SIP-constructed building.
- SIPs provide good structural strength and stability, and an OSB-skinned system can structurally outperform conventional stick-framed construction in some cases.
What Are The Challenges Of SIPs?
- SIPs should be carefully protected from moisture to avoid any potential damage.
- Not all builders are yet familiar with SIP construction and it requires some know-how. “SIPs are not a common construction technique in Australia, so finding a builder willing to work with the panels and price the project accordingly can be a challenge,” says architect Kieron Gait.
How Are SIPs Used?
SIPs can be used for floors, walls and roofs. Here are just a few examples.
SIPs can be used for floors, walls and roofs. Here are just a few examples.
Rear extension
Designed by Gait, the modest extension to this Brisbane house has a simple two-storey form constructed with SIPs for the walls and roof. It served to reduce construction time and allowed an economy of site labour.
Designed by Gait, the modest extension to this Brisbane house has a simple two-storey form constructed with SIPs for the walls and roof. It served to reduce construction time and allowed an economy of site labour.
Inside, the design exposes the OSB panel so that no finishing trades, such as plastering and painting, were necessary. “With careful attention to the volumes and light in the space, the exposed panels bring a barn-like quality to the home, and the OSB provide a warmth and comfort to the spaces,” Gait says.
Prefabricated module
ArchiBlox is a modular system in which each module is built using SIPs because of their lightweight and passive design properties. “The most important thing to consider with prefabrication is the lighter the materials the easier access to all sites, particularly if they need to be craned or lifted,” says Bill McCorkell of ArchiBlox.
9 ultra-contemporary extensions
ArchiBlox is a modular system in which each module is built using SIPs because of their lightweight and passive design properties. “The most important thing to consider with prefabrication is the lighter the materials the easier access to all sites, particularly if they need to be craned or lifted,” says Bill McCorkell of ArchiBlox.
9 ultra-contemporary extensions
Protoype addition
This extension to the rear of an existing federation home is constructed from SIPs and is a prototype for a relatively low-cost and sustainable type of contemporary home addition. The walls provide insulating qualities and are thickened with built-in cabinetry that houses the laundry, kitchen and storage, freeing up the rest of the space for open living.
This extension to the rear of an existing federation home is constructed from SIPs and is a prototype for a relatively low-cost and sustainable type of contemporary home addition. The walls provide insulating qualities and are thickened with built-in cabinetry that houses the laundry, kitchen and storage, freeing up the rest of the space for open living.
Garden studio
This studio, just less than 15 square metres and built using SIPs, is designed to be used as a bedroom, office, art studio or family retreat. Clad in western red cedar it has an aesthetically pleasing finish, while offering a tranquil and well-insulated interior.
This studio, just less than 15 square metres and built using SIPs, is designed to be used as a bedroom, office, art studio or family retreat. Clad in western red cedar it has an aesthetically pleasing finish, while offering a tranquil and well-insulated interior.
Energy efficient
This home, set on rural property, achieves a high energy rating due to its solar passive design materials and finishes, including SIP roof, earth walls, insulated concrete walls and polished concrete slabs.
This home, set on rural property, achieves a high energy rating due to its solar passive design materials and finishes, including SIP roof, earth walls, insulated concrete walls and polished concrete slabs.
Pitched roof
This roof is made with SIPs that have been configured to create a tight seal. There are no studs, which are a major source of heat loss, making the panels extremely efficient.
Sloping roofs that hit the right pitch
This roof is made with SIPs that have been configured to create a tight seal. There are no studs, which are a major source of heat loss, making the panels extremely efficient.
Sloping roofs that hit the right pitch
Cost effective
This house, built on a modest budget, has been designed to keep warm all year round. It has double glazing, reverse brick veneer, hydronic heating, concrete floors, bagged and painted brick walls and an SIP roof with an R value of more than 5, which keeps the warmth from leaking away. Altogether it significantly cuts the home’s heating bills.
This house, built on a modest budget, has been designed to keep warm all year round. It has double glazing, reverse brick veneer, hydronic heating, concrete floors, bagged and painted brick walls and an SIP roof with an R value of more than 5, which keeps the warmth from leaking away. Altogether it significantly cuts the home’s heating bills.
Words of advice
“There are many different SIP products out there, so carefully research what suits your particular needs. Make sure they comply with Australian Standards and find a builder who is comfortable to use the panels,” Gait says. “And work with the system: efficiencies come from the standardisation of the panel system construction, but it doesn’t mean the design needs to be ‘standard’.”
“There are many different SIP products out there, so carefully research what suits your particular needs. Make sure they comply with Australian Standards and find a builder who is comfortable to use the panels,” Gait says. “And work with the system: efficiencies come from the standardisation of the panel system construction, but it doesn’t mean the design needs to be ‘standard’.”
There are a number of items that require special attention according to McCorkell. This includes accurate planning of services, such as electrical layouts. “With planning you can locate conduits within the panels to run your services through, otherwise you may have to cover them on completion with battens or expose them and treat them as a design element.”
Like Gait, McCorkell also recommends engaging trades who have experience with the material. “Use trades that are knowledgeable with their installation as flashing details, joints between panels and junction details between different surfaces and materials can become difficult and potentially unattractive.” Finally, McCorkell says finishing trades such as wet areas and joinery still require onsite completion. “This lengthens the time on site once the panels have been installed.”
Your say
Would you consider SIPs for your next project? Share your thoughts in the Comments.
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Browse more Australian home designs
Like Gait, McCorkell also recommends engaging trades who have experience with the material. “Use trades that are knowledgeable with their installation as flashing details, joints between panels and junction details between different surfaces and materials can become difficult and potentially unattractive.” Finally, McCorkell says finishing trades such as wet areas and joinery still require onsite completion. “This lengthens the time on site once the panels have been installed.”
Your say
Would you consider SIPs for your next project? Share your thoughts in the Comments.
More
Browse more Australian home designs
SIPs are a high performance composite building material used in a load-bearing structural system. They were first developed in the US as part of a 1930s research program investigating methods of conserving forestry, and were quickly adopted by architects such as Frank Lloyd Wright. They have been increasingly embraced by Australian architects and builders in recent years, for sustainable and cost-efficient engineering and construction.