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Insulspan Homes are More Energy Efficient
Insulspan Structural Insulated Wall and
Roof Panels, with their thick slab of insulating foam, have minimal
air leakage and high R-Values, particularly because the insulation
is not interrupted every 16 inches by wooden studs. Recent tests
by Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) showed an INSULSPAN SIP
structure had 90% less air leakage than an identical structure built
with 2x6" walls using fiberglass insulation. And, according
to Jeff Christian, ORNL director of the laboratory's Building Technologies
Center, an INSULSPAN 4" SIP wall delivered a whole wall R-Value
of 13.83, compared to R-9.68 for 2x4" framed walls with fiberglass
insulation, and R-11 for a typically constructed 2x6" wall
with fiberglass insulation.
Since air leakage accounts for 30 to
40% of the energy loss in the average home, air sealing measures
and insulation should be considered in tandem as a single solution
for keeping conditioned air in your home. With Insulspan SIPs, you
get dramatically less air leakage, better insulation and more comfort.
Heating and Cooling Good News! Building
with INSULSPAN SIPs allows you to save money on your HVAC equipment,
because you'll use a smaller furnace and air conditioner/heat pump.
Oversized HVAC equipment:
- Costs more initially
- Doesn't run long enough to reach optimum
rated operating efficiency
- Is noisier when operating
- May wear out sooner due to short operational
cycles
- May not comfortably heat/cool all
areas of the home
- May not sufficiently dehumidify your
home in hot weather. An oversized air conditioner doesn't run
long to remove adequate amounts of moisture, which can lead to
health problems, mold growth, etc.
- Produce more air movement and less
comfort as a result
Make sure the heating and air conditioning
contractor knows you are building with INSULSPAN SIPs. Insulspan
Builder Affiliates typically offer assistance in "right-sizing"
the systems. In larger homes, it may be possible to eliminate a
second furnace or a second air conditioner entirely!
Ductwork can have a large impact on heating
and cooling efficiencies. Care needs to be taken in locating where
the ductwork will run, (keeping it out of unconditioned space) and
the size and type of ductwork used. Even ENERGY STAR®
rated furnaces will have a hard time delivering warm air via long,
leaky ducts. Due to the high energy efficiency of Insulspan SIPs,
duct run length can usually be significantly reduced and simplified.
Thus more costs of construction can be saved. In an Insulspan home
the entire outside envelope is insulated, thus ducts can always
be routed inside the insulated envelope. This is a significant advantage
since running ducts in unconditioned space means that duct leakage
results in loss of the energy in the heated or cooled air. In addition,
typical insulated ducts only have about an inch of insulation. If
you recall your physics, you know that the higher the temperature
difference between the air in a duct and outside, the greater the
heat lost from the duct to the outdoors. This also means the furnace
has to be larger to overcome the losses. Not in an Insulspan house.
Insulspan Builder Affiliates commonly assist
in making informed decisions regarding everything from home design
to water heating to appliances to lighting. Insulspan builders are
keenly aware of the most efficient and effective ways to help you
minimize energy usage-freeing up cash for more important things.
They can also assist in:
- The selection of local lenders offering
Energy Efficient Mortgages
- Identification of insurance agents providing
discounts for Insulspan SIP home
- Obtaining a Home Energy Rating, which can
include right-sizing the HVAC system and qualifying your home
for an Energy Star Designation
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