International News

BC's first zero-energy home has been built using Structural Insulated Panels.  The owners describe the house as “comfortable and normal, while at the same time socially responsible.”

You can read the full story here:

Happy New Year

Happy New Year!  We hope you had a good festive season, and survived the windy weather without too much damage.

In international news, a timber frame company in Portland, Oregon has received a Green Builder Green Home of the Year Award in the Best Craftsmanship category for a new eco-house built with Structural Insulated Panels.  You can read the full story here:

International News

SIPs panels have been used to construct a home with a flexible floor plan in New York.  The house features sliding doors and mobile partitions that can be moved around to accommodate changing family sizes and lifestyles.  The full story can be read here:

International News

Seattle's first zero-energy home has been constructed using Structural Insulated Panels.  The house uses south facing windows, a heat pump and solar panels to negate the need for oil or electricity.

You can read the full story here.

International News

The global headquarters of Vertical Screen, which covers a 9 acre site in Pennsylvania, has been awarded a LEED Platinum award.  In addition to the SIPs roof, the building's many green features are detailed in the article here.

International News

A new build in Brooklyn Center, Minneapolis has three times the floor space of the bungalow it replaces, but it three to four times more energy efficient.  The house is constructed from Structural Insulated Panels, and packed with sustainable features including solar panels, geothermal heating and rainwater collection systems

Read more: http://www.miamiherald.com/2011/10/04/2437787/eco-freak-mcmansion-makes-up-for.html#ixzz1a58xVfnM

International News

The Real Estate Weekly website has run a story about how SIPs structures in the US have been proving their credentials in withstanding hurricanes.

Having nearly lost the roof during Hurricane Gloria, the owner of the liquor store and warehouse decided not to replace it when collapsed in a blizzard last year.  Instead, he replaced the whole building using Structural Insulated Panels.

The company that supplied the panels have provided buildings to withstand natural disasters in New Orleans, Mississippi and northern Iraq.  In Missouri, they built a SIPs office complex that can withstand gusts of up to 230 mph and can be used even during a mandatory hurricane evacuation.

During Hurricane Joplin, 20 people took shelter in a walk-in supermarket cooler made from SIPs.   The structure stayed intact despite the 200 mph winds which flattened surrounding buildings

You can read the full story here.

International News

Following a house fire, a home in Montgomery has been rebuilt in a joint effort between the city and businesses using environmentally-friendly, energy-efficient methods. The city will track Barlowe's utility bills for a year and compare them to a neighbor's to test the savings

You can read the full story here.

International News

The Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station in Antractica is constructed out of Structural Insulated Panels.  The US Scientific research facility had to withstand recorded temperatures  from −13.6°C ) and −82.8°C. 

More details along with photographs of the Station can be seen on the website.  The Edmonton Journal also has an article on the project.

International News

One of the advantages of building with SIPs panels over other methods of construction is the speed of build.  This is highlighted in this story, in which 1500 square feet of SIPs roofing panels were installed in 45 minutes for a school in Denver, CO.  The link to the full story is under the cut.

International News

The Sarasota Herald Tribune has this story about a couple who chose to build with Structural Insulated Panels due to the airtightness  - specifically to prevent allergens such as pollen from entering the house.

The link to the full story is under the cut.

International News

A new study by Franklin Associates has been released, regarding the energy-saving benefits of SIPs panels over timber frame in the States.  You can read the press release here.

International News

Greenbuilding elements has a couple of interesting articles on building with SIPs panels.

Building with SIPs Part One and Part Two.

International News

Interesting article on Passive housing from the Pittsburgh Tribune here.

International News

After KREV-TEX TV Station in Grand Junction, CO. was irreparably damaged by fire in 2008 the studio manager took the opportunity to rebuild, with a focus on energy efficiency and sound proofing.  They chose Structural Insulated Panels in order to achieve air-tightness and sound proofing.  The full story can be found here.

International News

Modular buildings in Canada use Structural Insulated Panels to reach LEED certification.

International News

Structural Insulated Panels used for an environmentally friendly office park in the States.  This building method was chosen over traditional framing in order to achieve the required energy star rating.  The full story can be found here. 

International News

A prefabricated SIPs house in Calgary is put up in one day.  The panels were made into pods in the factory, then craned into place on site.  More details of the story - and a video - can be seen here.

Finished Kits

The panels arrive on site

During the build

Putting the roof panels on

The kit for this SIPs Industries project went up in just two weeks.  This is a replacement build, near Perth , Australia,  to replace the original house which was destroyed in Bushfires in late 2009.

International News

Three members of SIPA  - the US SIPs Association - have been recognised by the NAHB Research Centre at the Internaitonal Builders' Show in Orlando, Florida as having successfully improves the energy efficiency of their projects by using Structural Insulated Panels.  Read the full story by following this link.