| Most construction professionals are familiar with the | | | | In roofs, SIPs can be used without an engineered |
| "Project Management Triangle," a concept that ties | | | | truss system and can span long distances - up to 20 |
| cost, schedule, scope and quality together. Impact | | | | feet based on design parameters. As a result, they |
| any of these project elements, and you impact the | | | | can help create open interior spaces by reducing the |
| others. Academics frequently present the triangle as | | | | need for intermediate structural supports. |
| an inflexible set of constraints. Nonsense. | | | | Designers can also incorporate SIPs into floors, |
| Under any given construction practices, the Project | | | | typically in applications such as over crawl spaces |
| Management Triangle may apply, but it is not | | | | where an insulated floor system is required. |
| absolute. Contractors throughout history have | | | | SIPs play an important role in ensuring quality finishes. |
| regularly developed or implemented better, faster | | | | Because they are made in a controlled setting and |
| and more cost effective building methods. | | | | come in large sections, they allow for straighter walls |
| Today, the commercial construction industry faces | | | | than is possible with wood stick-built framing. Their |
| numerous competing, and often conflicting, priorities - | | | | smooth and even surface can also reduce finishing |
| from tighter budgets to building greener, while still | | | | labor by helping eliminate the need to shim cabinets, |
| needing to retain high quality. This environment | | | | windows and doors. |
| requires a careful look at more advanced building | | | | Green Building Benefits |
| techniques. | | | | To help meet green building goals, designers and |
| One such method is structural insulated panels (SIPs). | | | | contractors are increasingly specifying SIPs because |
| The panels provide many benefits compared to other | | | | of their numerous environmental attributes. Notably, |
| light commercial construction such as stick-built | | | | SIPs reduce energy costs, as well as construction |
| framing, concrete masonry units (CMUs), and tilt-up | | | | waste, by up to 60 percent, and play a role in |
| concrete. These include faster close-in times, high | | | | improving indoor air quality and supporting recycling. |
| strength, and several important green building | | | | Energy savings |
| attributes. | | | | SIPs provide exceptional energy efficiency compared |
| Building with SIPs | | | | to other construction methods because they |
| SIPs are pre-manufactured wall, roof or floor | | | | combine insulation and structural elements in one unit. |
| components delivered to the jobsite ready to install in | | | | By contrast, with stick framing or concrete |
| sections up to 8 feet by 24 feet long. They are | | | | construction, insulation is added after the structure is |
| typically made with oriented strand board (OSB) | | | | built. It is difficult to apply fiberglass batts or blown-in |
| laminated and pressure cured to a rigid insulating | | | | insulation without leaving gaps, especially in corners |
| foam core. | | | | and other hard to reach places. Also, because SIPs |
| Manufacturers have produced SIPs for several | | | | come in large sections, there are fewer gaps to be |
| decades, and building professionals now use them in | | | | filled, resulting in a tighter building envelope. |
| many building types. Common applications include | | | | When evaluating the R-values of whole wall |
| single- and multi-family homes, schools, churches, | | | | assemblies, the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) |
| offices, retail, and most other light commercial | | | | Oak Ridge National Laboratory found that a |
| buildings. | | | | 3.5-inch-wide core SIP provide a whole-wall R value of |
| The design and construction process with SIPs is | | | | 14.1 compared to a 9.6 whole-wall R value of a 2x4 |
| straightforward. The architect provides the | | | | framed wall with studs at 16 inches on center and |
| construction documents to a SIP manufacturer or | | | | fiberglass batts. A 4.5-inch SIP wall also outperformed |
| dealer, who converts them into shop drawings that | | | | a 2x6 wall with R-19 fiberglass insulation. |
| show each panel's specific dimensions. After review | | | | The improved insulation reduces ongoing energy use |
| by all applicable parties, the manufacturer or dealer | | | | and costs, plus helps reduce HVAC system |
| finalizes the shop drawings, makes the panels, and | | | | requirements. On the Las Vegas Manch School, |
| delivers them to the jobsite pre-numbered to | | | | project consultants estimate that SIPs reduced the |
| coordinate with installation plans. | | | | HVAC equipment capacity needed by approximately |
| Fast Close-in Times | | | | half. |
| A key advantage SIPs provide in today's tight | | | | In addition, energy efficient building materials such as |
| economy is their ability to dramatically reduce dry-in | | | | SIPs may qualify commercial building owners for up |
| time. The large, single-piece panels enable contractors | | | | to a $1.80 per square foot tax deduction. |
| to install entire wall, roof and floor sections at one | | | | The lower operating costs of a SIPs building can be a |
| time. They eliminate the need for separate framing, | | | | key market differentiator, helping developers sell or |
| insulating and sheathing work on site, and enable subs | | | | lease commercial space easier. |
| to start and finish work faster since walls, roofs and | | | | Construction waste reduction and recycling |
| floors are plumb and square. | | | | Stick-built construction generates large scrap volumes |
| In addition, manufacturers pre-cut window and door | | | | from cutting stock size studs and joists to length. |
| openings, including curves, arches and complex | | | | Since SIPs are manufactured in a controlled setting, |
| shapes. Depending on an opening's dimensions, | | | | more careful material management is possible than on |
| sub-contractors do not need to spend time installing | | | | a jobsite. In addition to reducing the environmental |
| separate headers. The panels also come with pre-cut | | | | impacts created by a large waste stream, SIPs can |
| electrical chases, eliminating the need to drill through | | | | reduce disposal fees. |
| studs for wiring. | | | | Many SIPs are 100 percent recyclable, as well as |
| In a new elementary school built with SIPs, the Clark | | | | have foam cores made from a specified level of |
| County School District (Las Vegas, Nevada) reduced | | | | recycled content. The OSB skins come from |
| close-in time by nearly 80 percent - from a typical | | | | fast-growing, renewable trees, and are manufactured |
| 118 - 220 days to only 45 days. "The general | | | | using a high percentage of each log for efficient |
| contractor was shocked at how fast the panels | | | | resource use. |
| installed," said Gary Radzat, President of Shell Building | | | | Indoor air quality |
| Systems, Sebastopol, California), the SIPs design and | | | | Because SIPs provide a tight building envelope, they |
| installation consultant for the Jacob E. Manch | | | | help reduce infiltration of common pollutants such as |
| Elementary School. "He said he'd never seen that size | | | | radon, molds, pollen, volatile organic compounds |
| of schedule reduction." Using SIPs saved the district | | | | (VOCs), lead dust and asbestos. Manufacturers |
| approximately one million dollars in direct construction | | | | typically produce SIPs without the use of CFCs, |
| costs. | | | | HCFCs or formaldehyde, and zero-VOC mastics are |
| As construction leaders know, faster building cycle | | | | available. In conjunction with other low-emitting |
| times significantly reduce interest payments on | | | | building materials, SIPs can help support healthy indoor |
| construction loans - an important factor in a healthy | | | | air, which the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency |
| bottom line. | | | | (EPA) reports is linked to employee and student |
| High Strength and Consistency | | | | performance and attendance. |
| SIPs are very strong and in most applications are | | | | LEED points |
| structurally self-sufficient. Designers can use them in | | | | Given their multiple environmental advantages, building |
| wall, roof and floor systems in place of other | | | | professionals can use SIPs to earn up to 23 points |
| structural elements. | | | | under the U.S. Green Building Council's (USGBC) |
| While frequently used in one- or two-story buildings, | | | | Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design |
| they have been successfully utilized for taller | | | | (LEED®) for New Construction Rating System. |
| structures. Last year, Western Wyoming Community | | | | Depending on the project and overall design, key |
| College (Rock Springs, Wyoming), opened a | | | | point categories to consider are "Energy and |
| 28,000-square-foot housing complex with 48 | | | | Atmosphere," "Materials and Resources," and "Indoor |
| bedrooms spread throughout four stories - the tallest | | | | Environmental Quality." |
| self-supporting SIPs structure built to date. | | | | Conclusion |
| In walls, SIPs can bear high loads and offer great | | | | Planning, designing and constructing commercial |
| strength in racking diaphragm shear capacities. These | | | | buildings is more challenging than ever. To survive, |
| capabilities enable the panels to be used in typical | | | | and even thrive, in the down market requires new |
| exterior walls, as well as shear walls to resist | | | | ways of thinking. SIPs are a tried and trusted |
| earthquakes and high winds. Extensive testing on | | | | construction technique that offers a way to greatly |
| SIPs has proven them for use in high-risk earthquake | | | | improve light commercial construction. |
| areas, including seismic zones D, E and F. | | | | |