Building a New Home with Structurally Insulated Panels (SIPs)

This spring our team visited one of our new home projects in Linden Hills— a house that uses Structural Insulated Panels (SIPs) as an alternative to traditional stud or “stick-built” construction.

CSA has multiple completed projects that utilize SIPs, including Valdres and Sunflower.

What are SIPs?

SIPs are prefabricated insulated structural elements that can be used in walls, ceilings, floors, and roofs. When installed properly, SIPs result in a more airtight dwelling that is quieter and more energy efficient.

To make a SIP, thick foam board insulation is glued between two sheets of oriented strand board (OSB) or another structural facing material. The facing and foam core are then pressed or placed in a vacuum to bond the sheathing and core together. They can be made at a variety of dimensions to fit the design needs of a specific project.

SIPs are made in factories and shipped to job sites. Once on site, a SIP home “goes up” more quickly than a traditional home, saving construction costs. This typically offsets the higher cost of SIPs.

Why choose SIPs?

Lifetime Insulation: Research funded by the U.S. Department of Energy has shown that SIP walls provide more R-value (the measurement of a material’s thermal resistance, with a higher value corresponding to greater resistance) than stud walls of the same-size.
Strength-to-Weight Ratio: SIPs are typically made with 4- to 8-inch-thick foam board insulation between two sheets of OSB, making the full constructed panel notably light for the strength it provides. This can help with assemblage of the panels on-site.
Uniform and Tested Results: SIPs manufacturing results in uniform insulation in each panel, unlike other methods of foam insulation that have greater risk of error in installation. Additionally, SIPs must meet a high standard of quality control and pass testing procedures in production. It is important to ask your manufacturer about their process for guaranteeing high results.