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Cost Comparison
to Traditional Construction
Insulspan panels
have been tested by numerous third-party research centers in order
to identify and certify the strengths and benefits the system has
to offer. Analysis completed by the Department of Energy, Oak Ridge
National Labs, and other third-party testing facilities has produced
information on the energy efficiency, strength and R-Value of SIPs.
We continually test and evaluate our panel system to ensure the
best in efficiency and highest quality product is produced.
Energy Efficiency
and Comfort
The Insulspan SIP system decreases cooling and heating costs even
more than their high R-rating would seem to indicate, because they
form a solid thermal envelope around the structure using less dimensional
lumber for wood studs, sills and headers than typical stick frame
construction. This substantially reduces air infiltration compared
with conventional construction techniques. The solid core of EPS
insulation in an Insulspan SIP also eliminates the convection looping
that can occur in typical stick frame construction as a result of
gaps and spaces within batt insulation placed between studs. The
resulting energy efficiency provided by the Insulspan SIP system
generally allows heating and cooling equipment to be downsized,
reducing initial capital costs and operating costs.
Reduced Air Leakage
Air leakage is one of the biggest sources of energy loss in most
buildings. Even when the level of R-Value for fibrous insulation
in traditional stick frame construction is increased, energy performance
expectations are rarely realized due to air leakage. Air leakage
test procedures are often used to determine the energy efficiency
of new building construction. The air leakage rate for building
construction is quantified in terms of the number of air changes
per hour (acph). An air change is defined as one air volume change.
Air leakage rates vary widely for different types of house construction
with values of 0.2 acph or lower achievable for energy-efficient
house construction. In addition to providing wall and roof assemblies
with higher effective thermal resistance values, the “closed
cavity” design provided by the Insulspan SIP System can result
in a building with significantly lower air leakage.
Effective Thermal
Resistance
The Insulspan SIP System provides wall and roof assemblies with
higher effective thermal resistance (R-Value) than typical stick-frame
construction. The R-Value of an assembly is a measure of its ability
to resist heat flow through it. The higher the R-Value of your wall
assembly, the lower your energy costs for heating and cooling your
home.
Structural Integrity
The Insulspan SIP System is designed to provide building owners
with long-term strength, safety and security. Design charts for
wind, snow and seismic load resistance capacity have been prepared
using a proprietary reliability-based computer model with benchmark
testing conducted to produce design values meeting reliability targets
required by the International Residential Code (IRC) and International
Building Code (IBC) in the United States and the National Building
Code (NBC) of Canada.
To ensure consistent performance, the panel
manufacturing process is monitored by a third-party certification
agency as part of the stringent in-plant quality control process
developed to assure panels meet long-term requirements as a structural
component.
Building Code Compliance
The Insulspan SIP system meets Code requirements for residential
and commercial applications. Test results and assessments confirm
compliance with Code requirements for structural design, heat transfer,
air leakage and condensation control. See the Insulspan ICC-ES Code
Report NER 520 for additional information.
Insulspan Advantages Checklist
Construction Type
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Fewer weather-related
delays |
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Short build schedules |
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Beat rising costs
of labor |
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Less skilled labor required |
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Eliminating the removal
and replacement of warping studs |
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Reduction of job-site theft due to
slower lock up |
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Reduction of warranty
claims |
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Improved return on investment |
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Fewer finance charges |
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Reduced weather-related materials
damage |
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Reduced heating costs for building
duration |
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Reduced administration costs |
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Improved revenue generation (where
applicable) |
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Increased appraisal value
(when part of a complete energy-efficient home design) |
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Improved long-term building envelope
performance |
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Achieving faster weather tightness
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Productive working environment |
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Factory-controlled quality |
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Energy-efficiency of SIP assembly
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Ease of installation |
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