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Is this new building technology? Is this new building technology? The idea of Structural Insulated Panels is far from new. Structural insulated panels have been used for decades in the construction buildings where enduring thermal efficiency is extremely important, for example refrigerated buildings. Constructions built with structural panels have been tested and monitored since the 1930’s by the United States Department of Agriculture’s Forest Products Laboratory. During that time, Sips Industries Panel's have proven their outstanding capabilities of strength and durability, but more importantly their enduring thermal efficiency. Around the globe in tens of thousands of building projects this growth has been accompanied by significant advances in the materials and the technology of Sips Industries Panel's. Go back to the top If Sips Industries Panels have been around for decades, why the interest now? In the UK energy costs remained low, construction schedules were leisurely, labour and timber were abundant and inexpensive - and profit margins on conventional construction remained high – there was little incentive for architects, owners, builders or contractors to utilize new techniques. Today, all that has changed. Escalating heating costs have led owners and tenants to demand greater thermal efficiency and improved energy performance in their buildings and homes. The UK building regulations are also mandating improved energy efficiency. At the same time, the building and construction market has become more competitive. Accelerated construction schedules and shrinking profit margins are forcing builders, contractors and designers to look for more efficient and reliable construction methods that reduce labour and alleviate the quality variable that plague conventional constructions. Go back to the top Are panels easy to use? Are panels easy to use? Are panels easy to use? Perhaps even more important in today’s construction industry is the speed and simplicity of Sips Industries Panel construction. By combining three stages of conventional shell construction – framing, sheathing, and insulation – into a single unit, a Sips Industries Panel structure can be erected much faster with less specialized labour, than conventional methods. This can mean lower labour and loan expenses, and quicker occupancy. With current Health and Safety regulations a crew of two with no special equipment can easily install smaller panels. Panels as large as 1200mm x 4800mm can be erected very quickly with the use of a crane. Go back to the top Why use rigid insulation? First, of course, is energy efficiency that has been the prime motivation behind Sips Industries Panel development. Sips Industries Panels provide higher U-values, reduced air infiltration, less thermal bridging and greater stability – all within conventional wall and roof thickness. The rigid insulation cannot sag, slump or shift and is a constant throughout the building. The U-value remains very stable over time and is minimally affected by moisture. There are far fewer interruptions in the insulations – Sips Industries Panels span widths of 1200mm, while the insulation in stick construction are interrupted by studs every 600mm – Sips Industries Panel buildings greatly reduce air infiltration and thermal bridging.The energy efficiency of and Sips Industries Panel structure means reduced heating and cooling loads, which in turn can mean savings in running costs. Go back to the top Do prefabricated panels limit design alternatives? While the advantages of factory fabrication – such as improved quality control and assembly efficiencies – are as important as ever, Sips Industries Panels can be custom fabricated to each project and are just as versatile as conventional construction. These factors make Sips Industries Panels an ideal system for a wide range of light commercial and residential applications from retail units, governmental buildings, offices, stores, fast-food restaurants and warehouses to demanding buildings as churches, clubhouses, and, of course, single- and multifamily homes. Go back to the top Are Sips Industries Panels structures easy to design and build? The simplicity of design and construction is one of the big benefits of Sips Industries Panels. However, although Sips Industries Panel construction is easy to learn, there are special techniques that can further simplify and speed up the process.That’s why it’s important for anyone considering a Sips Industries Panel structure to work with a reputable manufacturer who can provide design assistance, technical support and training as part of the package. To take full advantage of all theextra value Sips Industries Panels can bring to a project, it is important to incorporate them early in the design process. Go back to the top Are Sips Industries Pane's safe Are Are Sips Industries Pane's safe? Sips Industries panels uniformity and one-piece construction make it much easier to build walls that are straight and plumb. In addition, the two layers of structural board provide each panel with stability, a solid nailing base and increased protection against vandalism, break-ins and tenant damage. Panels have passed the rigorous fire endurance tests. Their solid-core construction eliminates the "chimney effect" that causes fires to spread rapidly through hollow conventional- built walls. The super-bonding, insulating foam we use is non-toxic and chemically inert. What is (OSB) Oriented Strand Board Oriented? Strand Board is a homogenous wood based panel manufactured from softwood strands compressed and bonded together with exterior grade water resistant resins. The trees used to make OSB are the routine thinning of managed plantations. The manufacturing Process utilises virtually 100% of the wood with very little waste created. The bark is removed and used as either fuel or for horticulture. The amount of extractable formaldehyde according to BS EN300 should be no more than 8mg per 100g. The OSB that is used at Sips Industries achieves a value of 2mg per 100g. This board is supplied to Sips Industries pre-cut so as to eliminating waste. Sips Industries source OSB from suppliers who are members of the Woodmark chain of custody standard which is based at the soil association in Bristol. What is EPS? Expanded Polystyrene EPS is manufactured from styrene which is a monomer which has been manufactured on an industrial scale for more than 60 years. It is used in the manufacture of a wide variety of plastics and rubber products. Styrene occurs naturally and can be found in many foods including strawberries, beans, nuts, beer, wine, coffee beans and cinnamon. During the manufacturing process of EPS a non CFC blowing agent called pentane is used to expand the polystyrene granules into its familiar form. Pentane is its self a volatile liquid which is being formed by natural processes such as the anaerobic decomposition of plant matter by micro organisms and by the digestive systems of animals. It belongs to the same family as butane, methane etc which are fuels currently used as heating fuels. During the manufacturing process any pentane released is quickly converted in the atmosphere via a photochemical reaction into carbon and water. As it does not contain chlorine pentane cannot damage the ozone layer unlike CFC (chlorofluorocarbons) and HCFC (hydro chlorofluorocarbons). However the pentane gas emitted during the manufacturing process does contribute to man made emissions of volatile organic compounds it is only on the region of 0.2% . To put this into perspective a far larger quantity is released by the decomposition of household waste. The amount of CO2 gas emitted during the manufacturing process is insignificant and, as the saving made by the installation factor of the Sips Industries boards after saves this is around one week. Pentane as a gas is not regarded as a hazard to health. Expanded polystyrene is non-toxic and inert. Expanded polystyrene consists of up to 98% air and its production accounts for less than 1% of oil use in the UK. A comparison used is that for every kilogram of oil used to manufacture EPS insulation board approximately 200 kilogram's of oil will be saved in reduced heating fuel demands over its lifetime. Expanded polystyrene boards can be recycled and ground into packing cases etc used in various industries. At this moment processes are being examined which will allow it to be recycled back into its original chemical form which will help reduce consumption of natural resources however this has not been achieved to date. |
Our technical sales staff have an extensive knowledge of SIPs , construction and manufacture and will be happy to answer questions and give advice at any stage of your project.
Our specialist construction teams are led by an experienced project manager ensuring a well organised building project |
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