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Structural Insulated Panels (SIPs)
This building system utilizes stress-skinned panels which are essentially a sandwich made
of Oriented Strand Board (OSB) on the exterior and a foam material on the interior, usually
either Expanded Polystyrene (EPS) or Polyurethane (PU). These panels are constructed so that
whole sections of walls are installed as a unit, and are glued and fastened to the next
unit. These are used for exterior walls and roofs and result in a very tight house with
superior energy performance. PU walls have a much higher R-value than EPS walls for similar
thicknesses, and although more expensive, can out-perform EPS panels. Both types of SIP's
are a high performance building system, however, and offer advantages such as:
- High insulation values and very tight construction delivering outstanding energy efficiency
- SIP houses are typically about 3 times stronger than a similar conventionally-framed structure
- High sound absorption
- Fast construction which can offset some of the higher material costs. SIP framing typically costs 10% to 20% more than traditional "stick" framing, which can be offset by lower energy bills.
Meadowlark Builders provides full SIP design and installation services throughout Washtenaw County.
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